US accuses Russia of preparing to deploy nuclear weapons in space, tensions rise with China

The US has been pushing NATO nations to raise their defense spending to 5% of GDP, a huge leap from the current target of 2%. This is being necessitated by the requirement to counter Russian, Chinese, and terrorist threats. President Donald Trump has also made his demands public, threatening to reconsider defending those countries that do not fulfill their military spending obligation.

Germany agrees in principle

Germany has accepted in principle the US request, as its Foreign Minister mentioned that they are in favor of the 5% request. It would, however, mean an increased defense outlay by a major amount with every additional percentage point costing an extra dollar 50.5 billion on the price tag.

NATO's current spending targets

Only some of the NATO member states currently achieve the 2% GDP defense spending target. The US is already spending 3.37% of its GDP on the military, while others such as Britain plan to increase their defense budget to 2.5% by 2027 and 3% by 2029.

Nations having difficulty reaching targets

Most of the NATO member states are having difficulty reaching the current 2% target, including:

• Belgium: 1.3% of GDP
•  Canada: 1.37% of GDP
•  Italy: 1.49% of GDP
• Portugal: 1.55% of GDP
•  Spain: 1.28% of GDP, with the goal of reaching 2% by 2025

Compromise proposal

NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte suggested a compromise of 3.5% for traditional defense expenditure and 1.5% for defense-focused infrastructure like roads and bridges that can accommodate military vehicles.

Countries supporting Trump's demand

Some countries, such as Lithuania, Poland, and the UK, back the US request, as they argue against Russian aggression and need to continue a robust alliance.