Dutch caretaker government backs 5% GDP defence spending in line with NATO goals

Reuters

The Dutch caretaker government has expressed support for NATO’s proposed 5% GDP defence spending target, citing rising security threats as justification.

The Netherlands' caretaker government has endorsed a new NATO military spending framework that calls for alliance members to allocate a total of 5% of gross domestic product (GDP) towards defence. Defence Minister Ruben Brekelmans announced the position on Friday, aligning the country with the forthcoming NATO target ahead of a key summit this month in The Hague.

“The government supports the new NATO norm to spend 3.5% on defence and 1.5% on defence-related measures,” Brekelmans stated in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter. “Given the increasing threats this is necessary to keep the Netherlands safe,” he added.

The new NATO target, expected to be adopted formally at the upcoming summit, consists of dedicating 3.5% of GDP to core military spending and an additional 1.5% for investments in broader security and defence-related areas. This shift reflects growing concern within the alliance over global security challenges and the need for stronger collective defence.

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