NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte urged member countries of the Alliance to increase their military spending to 2% of GDP before the summer. Rutte warned that those who do not comply will receive a call from U.S. President Donald Trump.
According to Rutte, the majority of NATO states already meet this percentage, but some are still lagging behind. Therefore, he is intensifying his contacts with them to ensure they fulfill the commitment.
At a press conference in Bratislava, Rutte mentioned that at the upcoming NATO summit in The Hague at the end of June, the possibility of establishing a new defense spending threshold will be discussed, as the current 2% may not be sufficient. Rutte suggested that this new target could even exceed 3%.
The Secretary-General emphasized the importance of setting a precise timeline to achieve this new military goal, avoiding a repeat of what happened in 2014, when the 2% commitment was established and only started to be met after Trump was elected in his first term.
Regarding this issue, Rutte expressed: "I am in active and intense contact with these countries to ensure they accelerate and reach the 2%. And I warn them that if they do not respond to my calls, they might receive a call from a very nice man in Washington, who may have less patience."
