NATO defense ministers have agreed in principle to push European military spending higher ahead of the alliance’s upcoming summit, according to Reuters. The move reflects continued pressure from the United States for allies to meet and sustain the alliance’s benchmark commitments.

Several member states are now signaling plans to reach the NATO target of spending 2% of gross domestic product on defense by 2027. The preliminary understanding comes as European governments face growing scrutiny over military readiness, burden-sharing, and the long-running gap between U.S. and European contributions.

The spending debate has become a central issue in transatlantic relations, especially as security concerns across Europe remain elevated. While the ministers have not finalized every detail, the agreement marks another step toward locking in higher defense budgets before leaders gather for the summit.

The broader goal is to strengthen NATO’s collective defense posture without exposing deeper rifts among allies. For European governments, the challenge now is turning political commitments into stable, multi-year spending plans that can survive domestic budget pressures.