BRUSSELS — NATO’s 32 member nations have all met the alliance’s defense spending target of at least 2 percent of GDP for the first time since its establishment in 2014. This milestone reflects a significant shift in priorities and commitments among member states, particularly in light of ongoing global security challenges.
Notable performers and underachievers
In its annual report released on Thursday, NATO highlighted the impressive contributions of certain nations, notably Poland and the Baltic states, which have excelled in their defense budgets. Conversely, countries like Hungary and the Czech Republic are facing potential setbacks, as their efforts to meet spending commitments have come under scrutiny.
The report indicated that NATO collectively spent $1.4 trillion on defense last year, a figure that has risen partly due to the pressure exerted by former U.S. President Donald Trump, who has repeatedly emphasized the need for increased defense expenditures among allies. Despite these achievements, Trump continues to express dissatisfaction with NATO’s performance, particularly regarding its support in conflicts such as the ongoing situation involving Iran. “We’re very disappointed with NATO because NATO has done absolutely nothing. I said 25 years ago that NATO’s a paper tiger, but more importantly, that we’ll come to their rescue, but they will never come to ours,” he stated.
Grade breakdown of NATO members
NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte acknowledged the U.S. role in driving this spending increase, asserting that “for too long, European allies and Canada were over-reliant on U.S. military might. We did not take enough responsibility for our own security. But there has been a real shift in mindset.” This shift is evident in the varied spending grades assigned to member nations.
- A grade — Teacher’s pets: Leading the pack are Poland (4.3 percent) and Lithuania (4 percent), with Latvia (3.7 percent), Estonia (3.4 percent), Denmark (3.3 percent), and Norway (3.2 percent) following closely.
- B grade — Above average: Several nations exceeded the 2 percent mark comfortably, including Finland (2.9 percent), Greece (2.8 percent), the Netherlands (2.6 percent), Sweden (2.5 percent), Germany (2.4 percent), and Turkey (2.3 percent).
- C grade — Barely scraping by: Countries like the U.K. (2.3 percent), Romania (2.2 percent), North Macedonia (2.1 percent), Luxembourg (2.1 percent), Bulgaria (2.1 percent), Croatia (2.1 percent), France (2.1 percent), Slovakia (2.1 percent), and Montenegro (2.1 percent) only just met the target.
- D grade — The truants: Although Hungary (2.1 percent) and the Czech Republic (2 percent) officially reached the target, both nations have faced decreased spending, raising concerns about their future commitments. Hungary’s defense budget decreased by 6 percent from the previous year, while the Czech Republic experienced a smaller decline of 0.3 percent. The Czech government has already come under criticism for its spending plans, which some allies, including the U.S., deem insufficient.
With the 2035 deadline for increasing defense expenditures looming, the focus remains on whether Hungary and the Czech Republic can reverse their downward trends. A NATO diplomat commented on the importance of equitable burden-sharing among allies, stating, “Fair burden sharing [among allies] is — and remains to be — an issue. There’s still time for Budapest and Prague to change course by 2035.”