NATO's European members and Canada have increased their defense spending by 20% in 2024 compared to the previous year, reaching over $485 billion, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte announced Friday.
The boost in military expenditure comes amid mounting pressure from the United States and growing security concerns following Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine. The increased spending has brought total additional investment since 2014 from $640 billion to $700 billion.
In 2014, NATO members agreed to spend 2% of their gross domestic product (GDP) on defense. Recent NATO estimates indicate that 23 out of 32 alliance members now meet this target. However, former U.S. President Donald Trump has called for members to raise spending to 5% of GDP - a threshold that no NATO country, including the U.S., currently achieves. Lithuania announced plans to increase its defense spending to an unprecedented 5-6% of GDP starting in 2026, becoming the first NATO member to commit to such high military expenditure levels amid growing concerns about Russian aggression.
The United States remains the alliance's largest contributor, accounting for approximately two-thirds of total NATO defense spending last year.
Additional spending details are expected to be released during Wednesday's meeting of NATO defense ministers, where Trump's Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth will make his first appearance.
"We'll talk about investing more and better in defense," Rutte said ahead of the upcoming ministerial meeting, highlighting NATO's commitment to strengthening collective defense capabilities.
The increased military spending reflects NATO members' determination to enhance their defense preparedness while responding to evolving security challenges in the Euro-Atlantic region.