NATO leaders on Wednesday backed the big increase in defense spending that U.S. President Donald Trump had demanded, and restated their commitment to defend each other from attack, Reuters reports.
In a five-point statement, NATO endorsed a higher defense spending goal of 5% of GDP by 2035 – a response not only to Trump but also to Europeans’ fears that Russia poses a growing threat to their security following the 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
The 32 allies’ brief communique added: “We reaffirm our ironclad commitment to collective defense as enshrined in Article 5 of the Washington Treaty – that an attack on one is an attack on all.”
Asked to clarify his own stance on Article 5, Trump said: “I stand with it. That’s why I’m here. If I didn’t stand with it, I wouldn’t be here.”
