It is a prelude to the top of NATO in June. The member countries of the transatlantic organization meet on Wednesdays and Thursdays in Turkey to negotiate an increase in their military spending, hoping to convince Donald Trump, who threatened the “bad payers” that they no longer protect them.
The possibility of the calendar, this informal meeting of the foreign ministers of foreign affairs of NATO, scheduled for a long time, will take place at the same time as an anxiously expected meeting, but that remains to be confirmed, on Thursday between Russia and Ukraine in Istanbul.
The United States requires the 32 NATO countries to dedicate at least 5% of its Gross Domestic Product (GDP) to its defense, a very substantial increase that several countries consider out of reach.
At the end of 2024, 22 NATO countries reached the objective of 2% of military spending, held in 2014 at an anterior summit of the Alliance. Several countries, including Italy, Spain or Belgium, are still below this goal, but nevertheless have promised to achieve this year.
Include non -military expenses
As a possible commitment, NATO general secretary Mark Rutte presented an offer in two stages, which maintains the 5% objective of GDP, loved for Donald Trump, but by including non -strictly military spending.
More precisely, the NATO chief suggested to set 3.5% the threshold of military spending Stricto Sensu to reach by 2032. But this figure suggests adding a 1.5% objective of GDP, this time composed of broader expenses, such as infrastructure, more easily possible, particularly for late countries or Spain.
Especially because this is essentially concerned about the expenses that already take into account the budgets of the states such as border control, the construction of roads or bridges, a diplomat explained in Brussels.
To better convince Washington of the seriousness of European allies, Mark Rutte also suggested that they increased at least 0.2% per year for their strictly military expenses.
This idea was well received on Tuesday by the American ambassador to the NATO Matthew Whitaker.
The increase in military spending, that the 32 countries of the Atlantic Alliance negotiate before its summit in The Hague on June 24 and 25, “will include all the necessary capacity objectives for NATO allies to deter and defend themselves, but also things like mobility, infrastructure, cybersecurity,” said a presentation with the press report.
A prelude to negotiations
This annual increase will be “very difficult to impose,” acknowledges a diplomat in NATO. But, he adds, the commitment drawn by Mark Rutte is “feasible and will serve all the allies.”
It is the “beginning of the conversation”, however, tempered to another NATO diplomat, for whom “everything is open and still very moving” before the Hague Summit.
“One percent of GDP currently represents about 45 billion euros for the Federal Republic of Germany,” said Foreign Afferredrich Merz on Friday in Brussels.
A significant advance in Antalya on Wednesday and Thursday is not expected. The subject will be assumed in early June by the NATO defense ministers, during a final ministerial meeting before the Hague.
The Chiefs of Diplomacy of the Alliance will also evoke Ukraine with a possible meeting on Thursday in Istanbul between Ukraine and Russia under the auspices of Donald Trump, who plans to move in person.
For most NATO European countries, it is important to continue supporting the war effort of Ukraine, regardless of the end of the latest negotiations.
Source: BFM TV
