Here’s a summary of the key points from the provided text:
Increased defense Spending: NATO allies have agreed to increase their defense spending target from 2% to 3.5% of GDP by 2035. This includes spending on weapons and ammunition supplied to Ukraine.
Infrastructure Investment: In addition to defense spending, allies will dedicate 1.5% of their GDP to upgrading infrastructure (roads, bridges, etc.) needed for military deployment.
Review in 2029: Progress on these spending goals will be reviewed in 2029.
Disagreement: Not all NATO members are fully on board with the new spending targets. Spain officially refused the agreement,and other countries like Slovakia,Belgium,France,and Italy have reservations or will struggle to meet the targets.
Trump’s Influence: The agreement on increased spending appears to be influenced by Donald trump, who had previously questioned the U.S.’s commitment to NATO’s collective defense (Article 5) based on defense spending levels. Trump now seems satisfied with the new pledge.
Ukraine’s Role: While previous NATO summits focused on Ukraine’s potential membership, this summit shifted the focus to defense spending. Ukraine’s membership prospects were not mentioned in the final statement, but allies reaffirmed their commitment to supporting Ukraine. Russia was identified as a major security threat.
