NATO summit to push major boost in defence spending

The upcoming NATO summit is expected to center on significantly increasing defence spending among member states.

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte has gained support for a new financial commitment from alliance members: allocating 5 per cent of national income to defence, with 3.5 per cent specifically dedicated to core military needs in line with NATO’s operational requirements, Caliber.Az reports via foreign media. 

Beyond defence budgets, the summit agenda includes strategies for deterring Iran and discussions on NATO’s stance toward Russia. However, internal dynamics are reportedly complicated as member states “tiptoeing around” US President Donald Trump, whose stance toward Moscow remains ambiguous.

Plans to adopt a new NATO strategy on Russia and its perceived threat were reportedly abandoned at the request of Washington. In a further sign of shifting political sensitivities, the planned NATO–Ukraine Council session at the heads-of-state level was also canceled - reportedly due to Trump’s position on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. 

When NATO leaders gather in The Hague on June 24, much of the discussion will revolve around President Trump and his efforts to contain Iran. However, Russia will remain the unspoken but dominant issue. Any skepticism about the wisdom of the conflict in Iran or US intervention is likely to be downplayed, not only because most allies oppose Tehran acquiring nuclear weapons but also because the summit has been carefully arranged to avoid upsetting President Trump. 

The announced cease-fire, if it holds, could also help ease tensions. For NATO, the central challenge is Russia, which lies at the core of talks on boosting military spending. Yet this topic will also be handled delicately, as member states cautiously navigate President Trump’s notably ambiguous stance toward Moscow.

By Naila Huseynova