NATO's 5 pct defense spending deal gives no exceptions to any ally – Lithuanian FM

VILNIUS – As Spain claims it will not be required to raise defense spending to five percent of its gross domestic product (GDP), Lithuanian Foreign Minister Kestutis Budrys said on Monday that NATO's deal, set to be unveiled at this week's summit in The Hague, includes no exceptions for any allies.

"The NATO decision is ready and there are no exemptions for any single state or group of states. The principles of what defense spending means and what it's linked to are set out," Budrys said in a video comment from Brussels.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said over the weekend that he had secured a deal allowing Spain to "meet its commitments to the Atlantic Alliance without increasing defense spending to five percent of GDP."

"There is no separate (arrangement for any) state, even if someone wants to read something into it," the Lithuanian foreign minister said.

Under the deal greenlit by NATO's 32 nations on Sunday, allies promise to reach 3.5 percent of GDP on core military needs over the next decade and spend another 1.5 percent on "defense-related" expenditures such as infrastructure and cybersecurity.

Budrys said the increased spending is tied to Russia's aggressive policies, the threats it poses, and NATO's goal of building the capabilities needed to maintain credible deterrence and defense.

Multiple diplomats at NATO said that all 32 members signed off on the agreement and that no special exception was granted to Spain.

One diplomat, speaking to AFP on condition of anonymity, said that allies always "have the sovereign right to determine how they'll deliver on their commitments." 

The pledge to boost defense spending is expected to reassure US President Donald Trump, who has threatened not to defend allies that spend too little on their own militaries, and help NATO build up the forces it needs to deter Russia.

In 2024, Spain allocated the smallest share of GDP to defense among all NATO members, drawing sharp criticism from Trump.