NATO passes historic defense spending plan, Trump achieves significant victory

According to the Zhitong Finance APP, on Wednesday, NATO leaders reached an agreement at a key summit in The Hague, Netherlands, to increase defense spending to 5% of GDP, reaffirming their commitment to collective defense in response to security challenges posed by geopolitical conflicts. This historic move marks a significant political victory for Donald Trump, who has repeatedly criticized European allies for insufficient investment in security. Even on the way to the summit, the U.S. president questioned the core principle of the collective defense clause known as "Article 5," which requires member states to support each other when under attack. On Wednesday, the declaration passed at the two-day summit in the Netherlands stated that allies "reaffirm their ironclad commitment to collective defense" and "remain united and determined to protect 1 billion citizens, defend the alliance, and uphold our freedom and democracy." Currently, the focus of the summit is on ensuring Trump's continued involvement in the transatlantic alliance, while parties are increasingly concerned about the potential withdrawal of U.S. troops from Europe and a reduction in weapon deployments. Meanwhile, allies of Ukraine are also working to effectively respond to the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict, which has entered its fourth year. The declaration states that the new target (increasing from the current 2% spending goal) is to address "profound security threats and challenges, particularly the long-term threat posed by Russia to Euro-Atlantic security, as well as the persistent threat of terrorism." NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte hinted that Russia could have the capability to attack the alliance within five years. The declaration confirmed NATO's support for Ukraine but removed last year's statement that "Ukraine's future belongs to NATO," reflecting the Trump administration's increasing reluctance to provide more military aid to Ukraine. The U.S. president is scheduled to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky during a break in the summit, as Ukraine seeks to purchase more American weapons. The new target breaks down into 3.5% core defense spending and 1.5% related investments in infrastructure, cybersecurity, and other areas. After months of persuasion from Rutte, the plan has finally materialized, and it is expected to initiate a wave of trillions of dollars in defense spending before 2035. However, given that many European countries are already facing high public debt, whether this goal can ultimately be achieved remains uncertain. Some countries, led by Spain, question whether such a massive investment is necessary to meet NATO's commitments for weaponry and troop deployments. According to the declaration, allies agreed that "the trajectory and balance of spending" will be reassessed in 2029, and direct contributions to Ukraine's defense will also be counted towards each country's military spending. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz told the attending leaders that the core of this summit is "consistency between words and actions." A government official revealed that the clear message conveyed to Russian President Vladimir Putin by the allies is: "Do not oppose NATO."