Reuters has learned of NATO's disapproval of Trump's plan to increase alliance spending

The countries of the NATO military bloc do not intend to agree to the proposal of US President-elect Donald Trump to increase their defense spending from 2 to 5% of their gross domestic product (GDP). This was reported by Reuters on January 10, citing the opinion of officials and analysts.

"This is a huge increase from the current target of 2% and a level that no NATO country, including the United States, currently achieves," the media outlet noted.

At the same time, a number of officials, whose names are not mentioned, although they do not support the initiative of the American politician, but in general are in favor of increasing defense spending. In particular, Italian Defense Minister Guido Crozetto believes that the bloc will still increase the current target.

"It looks like there will be a change. I don't think it will be 5%, which would be impossible for almost every country right now, but it won't be 2%, which we are already trying to achieve, it will be more than two," Crozetto commented.

According to media reports, the increase in defense spending will be discussed at the NATO summit in The Hague in June. Some analysts suggested that Trump deliberately put forward an unrealistic proposal to increase spending by 5% so that after a long debate NATO countries would agree at least to a figure close to 3%.

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The Financial Times reported on December 20, 2024 that the new U.S. president will require NATO member states to increase defense spending to 5% of GDP, and he plans to continue military aid to Ukraine.

The next day, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said that Trump's desire to ask NATO countries to increase defense spending by 5% of GDP would be a killer for Budapest. The politician noted that Hungary's achievement of the 2% of GDP defense spending target has already required significant efforts and sacrifices.