NATO allies reach 2% defense spending target, Rutte says

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said on Saturday that all alliance members now meet the bloc's longstanding target of spending at least 2% of GDP on defense. He described the shift as a major milestone for the transatlantic alliance as it responds to a more aggressive Russian posture.

The announcement marks a notable change for a group that has faced years of pressure from Washington to raise military budgets and close gaps in readiness. Several members had lagged behind the target for years, even as Russia's full-scale war in Ukraine sharpened concerns about Europe's security.

Rutte framed the spending gains as part of a broader effort to strengthen deterrence and reassure frontline states. The alliance has increasingly linked higher defense budgets to resilience, ammunition stockpiles, air defenses, and support for Ukraine.

The 2% threshold has long been a benchmark of burden-sharing within NATO, but the debate over how much more members should spend is likely to continue. With tensions with Moscow still elevated, alliance leaders are under pressure to convert higher budgets into concrete military capacity.