Eastern NATO States Boost Defense Toward 5% of GDP as Western Europe Lags

3 articles · Updated · Fox News · Jun 7

Baltic states, Poland, Romania and Bulgaria are accelerating military spending and weapons purchases fastest inside NATO, driven by proximity to Russia and pressure to strengthen deterrence.
A 2025 Hague summit target calls for allies to invest 5% of GDP in defense and security by 2035, but many of Western Europe’s biggest economies still sit near 2% to 2.4%.
Romania said it plans to average 3.4% of GDP next year after lifting spending to 2% during Trump’s previous term, citing repeated Russian drone incursions and its long border with Ukraine.
Finland and Sweden have added advanced capabilities since joining NATO, while Germany is emerging as a possible defense-industrial hub under Chancellor Friedrich Merz.
Experts say higher budgets still leave Europe reliant on U.S. airlift, refueling, cyber, space and intelligence assets, making industrial expansion and high-end support capabilities NATO’s next test.

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Raising the Bar: NATO’s 5% Defense Spending Goal and the Struggle for Alliance Cohesion by 2035

Overview

At the 2025 NATO Summit, leaders introduced a bold new goal: all members should commit 5% of their GDP to defense by 2035. This move reflects the rapidly changing geopolitical landscape and the urgent need for stronger collective security. The decision was shaped by global trends, with military spending reaching $2.9 trillion in 2025 and most of it concentrated among the United States, China, and Russia. Former President Trump emphasized the importance of US involvement and called for fairer burden-sharing among allies, highlighting the alliance’s shared understanding that robust defense capabilities are now more critical than ever.

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