A POLITICO analysis reveals telling gaps between the big spenders near Eastern Europe and those further from Russia, who are still creeping toward a decade-old target.
NATO members are rushing to show President Donald Trump they’re shoveling money into defense — some with a dose of creative math — as Russia’s battle with Ukraine grinds on and war threatens to consume the Middle East.
The group’s summit this week in The Hague, which Trump plans to attend, will attempt to set a deadline for members to spend 5 percent of GDP on defense. Trump has complained about European defense budgets since his first term, claiming the U.S. gets ripped off by countries that rely on Washington for a security blanket.
The way allies approach this at the summit is critical. Leaders will need to walk a tightrope between staying on the president’s good side — and continuing to benefit from America’s role in NATO — and declaring more independence from Washington.
As Trump increases pressure, members are touting new investments and shuffling around money — from a “defense-adjacent” Sicilian bridge to a stopgap German fund.
A POLITICO analysis reveals telling gaps between the big spenders in Eastern Europe and those further afield from Russia, who are still creeping toward a decade-old target. The 32 member states break down into three groups: the winners, the risers and the laggards. Most countries occupy a crowded middle ground, not quite racing toward the new 5 percent goal, but making solid progress in exceeding the current 2 percent mark.
“Most of NATO recognizes that it has to be better,” said a U.S. Defense Department official, who like others, was granted anonymity to discuss internal conversations. “We’re looking at these meetings as a very public chance, with the president watching, for them to step up.”
Here’s how NATO members are faring in the race to spend.
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