The 32 NATO member countries are set to gather in The Hague for a crucial two-day summit. However, the tensions are rising over defense spending commitments and the direction of the alliance amid evolving global threats.
The summit begins Tuesday, and experts believe it will either reinforce unity among allies or expose deepening rifts within the world’s largest security organization. Here are the five issues that can potentially unite or further divide the allies.
Defense Spending Target Is Dividing NATO
NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte last week appeared optimistic that European members and Canada might finally match the United States in defense spending relative to economic growth. However, Spain rejected a new proposed target of spending 5% of gross domestic product (GDP) on defense, calling the figure “unreasonable.”
The target has been strongly backed by US President Donald Trump, who expressed frustration at allied nations not meeting this benchmark.
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“I don’t think we should, but I think they should,” Trump said, referring to the 5% goal. POTUS also singled out Spain and Canada as laggards.
“NATO is going to have to deal with Spain. Spain’s been a very low payer,” he said, adding, “Canada [is] a low payer” as well.
Spain was the lowest defense spender in the alliance last year, according to the NATO data. The country allocated less than 2% of its GDP, while Canada spent approximately 1.45%.
Trump May Resist Giving Zelenskyy Central Role At NATO
European allies and Canada want support for Ukraine to feature prominently at the summit. However, concerns are rising that Trump may resist giving Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy a central role. Zelenskyy has been invited to The Hague and is likely to attend the informal dinner on Tuesday. However, it remains unclear whether he will participate in the official session on Wednesday.
NATO itself does not supply weapons, but it does coordinate non-lethal aid such as fuel, rations, medical kits, and drone or mine countermeasures. However, individual member countries, especially in Europe, supplied large tranches of arms to Ukraine. In 2024, European allies accounted for 60% of Ukraine’s total military support.
NATO assists the delivery of arms and weapons to Ukraine through a hub on the Polish border.
Trump’s Iran Strike Adds to NATO Tensions
President Trump recently ordered strikes on nuclear facilities in Iran, dividing NATO. France and Germany opposed the war, while the UK and Spain supported it. The current situation raises questions about whether NATO could again fracture over unilateral US military actions or the allies will come in support of Trump’s move.
The two-day NATO summit includes an informal dinner on Tuesday, which will be followed by one working session Wednesday morning. Leaders have agreed on a deliberately short summit statement to minimize the risk of disagreements.
NATO Budget Commitments
US bears the bulk of NATO’s military load. It has spent extensively over decades, resulting in advanced weaponry and large personnel numbers.
Other allies have gradually begun to increase their contributions to NATO. After Russia’s 2014 annexation of Crimea and its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, allies have increased their spending. NATO members agreed then to spend at least 2% of GDP on defense. Last year, 22 countries were projected to meet that goal, up from only three in 2014.
In The Hague, leaders were expected to consider raising this minimum to 3.5%, with an additional 1.5% earmarked for infrastructure upgrades such as ports, airfields, and roads. Whether consensus on this expanded goal can be reached remains uncertain.
Will Trump Leave NATO?
NATO was founded in 1949. The primary focus of the alliance has been to protect Europe from external threats. The US has been playing a central role in maintaining military balance, more so against Russia.
While President Trump has stated that the US intends to remain in NATO and appears committed to Article 5 of the treaty, the alliance members have shown concerns over his past remarks.
NATO’s civilian leadership is headed by Secretary-General Mark Rutte, who oversees operations from the Brussels headquarters and chairs the North Atlantic Council. NATO’s military headquarters is based in Mons, Belgium, and is always commanded by a senior US officer.
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Zubair Amin is a Senior Journalist at NewsX with over seven years of experience in reporting and editorial work. He has written for leading national and international publications, including Foreign Policy Magazine, Al Jazeera, The Economic Times, The Indian Express, The Wire, Article 14, Mongabay, News9, among others. His primary focus is on international affairs, with a strong interest in US politics and policy. He also writes on West Asia, Indian polity, and constitutional issues. Zubair tweets at zubaiyr.amin
