NATO leaders agreed to increase the share of defense costs to 5 percent of the gross domestic product (GDP) by 2035.
According to the summit declaration, the leaders of 32 countries confirmed their commitment to Article 5 of NATO, which obliges the collective defense.
“united in the face of serious threats and safety challenges, in particular the long -term threat of Euro -Atlantic security by Russia and a constant threat of terrorism, the allies undertake to invest 5 percent of the annual GDP in 2035 in expenses related to defense and safety, as well as the main defense needs to fulfill our individual and collective obligations under Article 3 – says in the statement.
The document notes that the 5 percent expense indicator will include two key defense investments. The allies pledged to allocate at least 3.5 percent of GDP for the satisfaction of “basic defense needs and” targeted potential indicators “.
It was also decided to direct the remaining 1.5 percent to such industries as “protection of critical infrastructure, providing civil readiness and vitality, as well as strengthening the defense industrial base.”
The statement emphasizes that the costs will be revised in 2029. The parties confirm the obligation to provide support to Ukraine. The contribution to the defense of Ukraine will be included in the equation in the calculation of defense expenses of the Allies.
NATO members expressed determination to quickly expand the transatlantic cooperation in the field of defense industry: “We will work to eliminate trade barriers in the field of defense between us, we will use our partnerships to develop cooperation in the field of defense industry.”
The statement also reports that the NATO summit of 2026 will be held in Turkey.