German Chancellor Olaf Scholz warned that Russian President Vladimir Putin responds only to strength, emphasizing the significance of the NATO summit in The Hague as a pivotal moment for ensuring European peace for generations to come.
Addressing the Bundestag, Scholz highlighted Putin’s unwavering determination to annex Ukraine and pledged Germany’s commitment to robust European defense. He underscored Berlin’s willingness to contribute its “fair share” to collective security.
US President Joe Biden’s attendance marks his return to a NATO summit since 2019. All 32 member states are poised to formally commit to allocating 3.5% of GDP to defense spending, with an additional 1.5% dedicated to related infrastructure.
Amidst the ongoing Israel-Iran conflict, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg urged European allies to focus on bolstering defense capabilities and supporting Ukraine, rather than questioning US commitment to the alliance.
Stoltenberg affirmed the unwavering commitment of the US President and administration to NATO, emphasizing that this commitment necessitates reciprocal military investment from European partners.
He highlighted the over $35 billion (£26 billion) already pledged by European nations and Canada to support Ukraine’s military efforts this year.
Recent Russian attacks on Ukraine resulted in civilian casualties, with ten deaths reported on Tuesday. Scholz noted the continued failure of diplomatic efforts to engage Russia in meaningful negotiations.
Missile strikes targeting Dnipro and Samar claimed eleven lives and injured over 150, including children, impacting a kindergarten and passenger train. A separate strike on Sumy resulted in three fatalities, one of them a child.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, present in The Hague, is scheduled to meet with President Biden during the summit. This will be their first encounter since April’s meeting at Pope Francis’ funeral.
NATO is expected to endorse a significant new investment plan, raising the defense spending benchmark to 5% of GDP. While many allies currently fall short of the 3.5% target by 2035, Germany has committed to reaching this goal by 2029 through a recently approved budget.
Germany’s defense spending will increase from €62.4 billion (£53 billion) in 2025 to €152.8 billion in 2029, utilizing both debt and special funds. Scholz emphasized that this initiative is driven by Germany’s own assessment of the threat posed by Russia, not simply as a favor to the US.
Chancellor Scholz is slated to meet with UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and French President Emmanuel Macron during the summit.
Stoltenberg has actively worked towards achieving the 5% target since assuming his position. This ambitious goal, initially proposed by President Biden, represents more than double the previous 2% guideline and has presented significant challenges to member states.
The two-day summit has been streamlined, with Wednesday featuring a concise working session and a brief concluding statement, reportedly to accommodate President Biden’s schedule.
The precise wording of the commitment is crucial. While 3.5% will address core defense, the remaining 1.5% will cover “defense-related expenditure,” a broad category encompassing cybersecurity and infrastructure investments.
Reaching the 3.5% core defense target demands substantial adjustments for most NATO members. Twenty-seven of the 32 allies currently spend under 3%, with eight significantly below the 2% threshold established in 2014.
Prime Minister Sunak pledged the UK’s commitment to the 5% target by 2035, emphasizing the need for agility and strategic decision-making in an uncertain global landscape. The UK aims to reach 2.6% on core defense within two years, coupled with 1.5% on related areas.
Spain, with defense spending below 1.3%, faces significant challenges to meet the target. Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez’s attempts to negotiate an exemption have been rejected by Stoltenberg, who confirmed NATO’s expectation of Spain achieving the 3.5% benchmark.
Belgium and Slovakia have also voiced interest in exemptions, potentially disrupting the alliance’s unity. Despite these dissenting views, all 32 states are anticipated to formally endorse the new pledge.
The summit’s preparations were briefly disrupted by train service disruptions near Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport, due to cable damage from a fire. Authorities are investigating the cause, including the possibility of sabotage.
This is the first meeting between both leaders since Joe Biden’s inauguration.
Trade, Ukraine, and defense issues are expected to dominate discussions between President Biden and Chancellor Scholz.
Scholz has worked to project a unified image of strength and purpose for the German government.
Scholz assumed the chancellorship following a successful parliamentary vote.