NATO achieves a major victory through historic defense spending plan, Trump harvests significant win

On Wednesday, NATO leaders reached an agreement at a crucial summit in The Hague, Netherlands to increase defense spending to 5% of GDP, reaffirming their commitment to collective defense to address security challenges from geopolitical conflicts. This historic move declared a major political victory for Donald Trump, who had criticized European allies for insufficient investment in security. Even as he headed to the summit, the US president questioned the core principle of the collective defense clause known as Article 5, which requires member states to support each other in the event of an attack. The two-day summit held in the Netherlands on Wednesday adopted a declaration stating that allies "reaffirm the ironclad commitment to collective defense" and are "unwaveringly united and determined to protect one billion citizens, defend the alliance, and safeguard our freedom and democracy." The focus of the summit is now on ensuring continued US involvement in the transatlantic alliance, while concerns grow about the possibility of the US withdrawing troops from Europe and reducing weapon deployments. Allies of Ukraine are also focusing on effectively responding to the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict entering its fourth year. The declaration stated that the new target (raising the current 2% spending target) is to address "profound security threats and challenges, particularly Russia's long-term threat to European-Atlantic security and the enduring threat of terrorism." NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg hinted that Russia could have the capability to attack the alliance within five years. The declaration confirmed NATO's support for Ukraine, but removed the statement from last year that "the future of Ukraine belongs to NATO," reflecting the Trump administration's reluctance to provide more military aid to Ukraine. The US president plans to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Wednesday during the summit, as Ukraine seeks to purchase more American weapons. The new target is broken down into 3.5% for core defense spending and 1.5% for infrastructure, cybersecurity, and related investments. After months of persuasion from Stoltenberg, the plan has finally materialized, with an expected surge in defense spending of trillions of dollars by 2035. However, with many European countries facing high public debt, it remains uncertain whether this goal can ultimately be achieved. Some countries, led by Spain, question whether such a massive amount of funding is necessary to meet NATO's requirements for weapons equipment and troop deployments. According to the declaration, allies agreed that the "trajectory and balance of spending" will be reassessed in 2029, with direct contributions to Ukraine's defense also included in each country's military spending. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz told attending leaders that the core of this summit is "to practice what we preach." A government official revealed that the clear message conveyed to Russian President Vladimir Putin by allies is, "Do not become an enemy of NATO."