**NATO Moves Toward 5 Percent Defense Spending Benchmark Amid Rising Geopolitical Tensions**

NATO allies are preparing to adopt a new defense spending benchmark of 5 percent of GDP, as announced by Secretary-General Mark Rutte on Monday. Rutte made the statement during a Q&A session at the NATO Parliamentary Assembly in the United States, indicating that the new target may be formalized at the upcoming leaders' summit in The Hague.

The push for increased defense budgets comes after sustained pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump, who previously warned that NATO allies needed to significantly bolster their defense spending or risk losing American protection. Although initially met with skepticism, escalating tensions with Russia and a renewed focus on Europe's military readiness have shifted opinions among NATO members.

Support for a 5 percent spending target is gaining traction, a notable rise from the current requirement of at least 2 percent of GDP. Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof previously suggested a detailed composition of the new target, calling for 3.5 percent of GDP to be allocated to “hard military spending” and an additional 1.5 percent to “related spending” including infrastructure and cybersecurity over the next seven years.

Rutte's recent comments mark his first public endorsement of the 5 percent goal. While he did not provide a detailed breakdown, he emphasized that more than 3 percent of GDP would be dedicated to traditional military expenditure, with the remainder supporting infrastructure and logistics.

NATO's latest data shows that 23 out of its 32 members are on track to meet the 2 percent GDP target by this summer—a significant increase from the three countries that met the goal back in 2014 following Russia's initial aggression toward Ukraine. No member has yet achieved the 5 percent threshold, though Poland is leading the way with approximately 4.7 percent of GDP dedicated to defense. Lithuania and Latvia have also announced plans to reach or exceed the 5 percent target within the next two years.

With the upcoming summit, NATO members are poised to make a crucial decision that will likely shape the alliance's future defense strategy in an increasingly uncertain global landscape.