US President-elect Donald Trump has stated that NATO member countries need to increase their defence budgets to 5% of their GDP.
NATO members are currently required to commit at least 2% of their GDP on defence spending. Ahead of Trump's re-entry to office on 20 January, the US President-elect wants all member countries to increase their expenditure to 5%.
"They can all afford it," the Republican billionaire stated at a press conference in Mar-a-Lago in Florida on Tuesday. "They should be at 5%, not 2%."
At the same conference, he announced plans to discuss ending the war in Ukraine with Russian President Vladimir Putin. He suggested that a meeting with the Russian leader could take place after Trump's inauguration. "I know Putin would like a meeting," adding that he hopes the war can end within six months.
Members fall short of the mark
Trump has consistently downplayed NATO's importance, an alliance that has been a cornerstone of European security since the Second World War. He argues that its members do not pay enough for US protection.
During his campaign, he caused alarm by threatening to withdraw US protection from NATO countries unless they sufficiently funded their defence.
"If they pay their dues, and if I think they treat us fairly, the answer is absolutely I would stick with NATO," he said in a recent interview.
NATO members committed to spending at least 2% of their GDP on defence after Russia annexed Crimea ten years ago. Out of 32 member countries, only 23 have met this commitment. Belgium plans to allocate 1.54% of its GDP to defence in 2025, up from 1.24% in 2024. NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte recently warned that Europe must spend "much more" on its defence.
