What is NATO's new defense spending target?

NATO has set a new defense spending target of 3.5% of GDP, to be achieved by 2035.

Which NATO member is spending the most on defense?

According to the data, Poland is the NATO member spending the most on defense as a share of its economy, at 4.48%.

How many NATO members currently meet the new 3.5% defense spending goal?

Only 3 NATO members - Poland, Lithuania, and Latvia - currently exceed the new 3.5% defense spending target.

Home / War and Conflict / NATO Allies Strive to Boost Defense Spending Amid Security Concerns

NATO Allies Strive to Boost Defense Spending Amid Security Concerns

27 Aug

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Summary

All NATO members to reach 2% GDP defense spending target in 2025
Only 3 allies currently exceed new 3.5% GDP defense spending goal
Poland, Lithuania, and Latvia lead NATO in defense spending as share of GDP

NATO Allies Strive to Boost Defense Spending Amid Security Concerns

As of August 27, 2025, NATO data shows that all member states are set to meet the alliance's longstanding defense spending target of 2% of GDP this year. This marks a significant increase in military investments across the alliance, driven in part by Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine and pressure from former U.S. President Donald Trump for European allies to contribute more to their own defense.

However, the NATO leaders have now set a new, higher goal of 3.5% of GDP for defense spending, to be achieved by 2035. Currently, only three NATO members exceed this target: Poland at 4.48%, Lithuania at 4%, and Latvia at 3.73%. The majority of allies are still working to reach the minimum 2% threshold, with several only marginally above it.

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte has emphasized that simply increasing defense budgets is not enough, stressing the importance of translating the extra funding into real military capabilities. "Cash alone doesn't provide security," he said, adding that "Deterrence doesn't come from 5%. Deterrence comes from the capability to ... fight potential enemies."

As NATO continues to adapt to evolving global security challenges, the alliance's members are under pressure to significantly boost their defense investments and ensure their forces are equipped and ready to respond to potential threats.

Disclaimer: This story has been auto-aggregated and auto-summarised by a computer program. This story has not been edited or created by the Feedzop team.