US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth announced on Thursday that NATO allies are getting closer to agreeing on a 5% defence spending target. This demand has been a long-standing priority for President Donald Trump.

Currently, NATO members aim to spend 2% of their GDP on defence. However, Trump has insisted on raising that to 5%. So far, no country, including the US, has met this goal. Still, Hegseth said progress is being made.

After the Meeting: Optimism Grows

After a NATO defence ministers' meeting in Brussels, Hegseth shared an optimistic update. He said, “I think it is, it is worth taking a moment to note the historic nature of what just occurred in there… We think very close, almost near consensus, on a 5% commitment for NATO.”

Although not all countries are fully on board, many are moving in that direction. “I won’t name any names. It’s amongst friends in that room. We’ll get them there,” Hegseth assured.

Widespread Support From Several Nations

Meanwhile, many countries have shown strong support. These include France, Germany, the Baltic states, Nordic nations, Poland, Greece, and Hungary. Hegseth emphasized, “The commitment is there—5% on defence spending. When you consider the threats we face, the urgency in the world, it’s critical.”

NATO Sets New Military Goals

Furthermore, NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte confirmed that ministers have agreed on “capability targets.” These targets focus on key military tools like long-range missiles, drones, and air defence systems. They also include improving logistics to speed up troop deployment.

“All these investments have to be financed,” Rutte said, as quoted by AP.

Earlier in the day, Hegseth called on NATO members to agree on the 5% target before the NATO summit on June 24–25.

Europe Eyes Continued US Support

According to diplomats, European nations believe higher defence spending is necessary to keep the US involved. They said Trump needs a clear win on the 5% goal to remain committed to European security.

“That will be a considerable extra investment,” Rutte told reporters.

As a result, he proposed a detailed plan. Under this proposal, members would spend 3.5% on military forces and another 1.5% on wider security projects. Hegseth welcomed this idea.

“You got to spend to have hard power,” Reuters quoted Hegseth as saying. “This alliance… will be committing to 5%: 3.5% in hard military and 1.5% in infrastructure and defence-related activities.”

Spain Pushes Back

However, not all members support the idea. Spain, for example, remains hesitant. Spanish Defence Minister Margarita Robles said, “We think that this 2% is enough to meet the responsibilities we have committed to.” She added, “What is important is that each country is able to meet the objectives it has set itself.”

Talks Will Continue Until the Summit

Negotiations are expected to go on until the eve of the summit. Meanwhile, Rutte said NATO members are also agreeing on “historic” new military targets. These include troop levels, weapons, and ammunition supplies.

According to German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius, Germany may need to add 50,000 to 60,000 more troops under this plan.

Disagreements on Timing

Still, the alliance hasn’t agreed on a final deadline. Rutte proposed the year 2032. Some countries in Eastern Europe say that’s too slow. Others believe it’s too ambitious.

Estonia wants to meet the goal within five years. “We don’t have time for 10 years, we don’t have time even for seven years,” said Estonian Defence Minister Hanno Pevkur. Sweden, on the other hand, prefers a 2030 deadline.

What Counts as Defence Spending?

Finally, the definition of “defence-related” spending remains under debate. Some members want to include cybersecurity and critical infrastructure in the 5% total.