Brussels: US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth announced on Thursday that NATO member states are close to reaching a consensus to raise defense spending to five percent of their Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Speaking to reporters following a meeting of NATO defense ministers at the Alliance's headquarters in Brussels, Hegseth shared this development.
According to Kuwait News Agency, Hegseth stated, "countries in there are well exceeding two percent and we think very close, almost near consensus, on a five percent commitment to NATO." He explained that although some countries have not yet reached the required level, there is confidence that full consensus will be achieved soon.
Hegseth affirmed, "We think everybody's gonna get there." The US administration is seeking an agreement on the five percent defense spending target to enable President Trump to officially announce it during the anticipated Hague Summit at the end of the month.