Hegseth and Rutte call for increased defence spending ahead of NATO summit

Speaking jointly at a NATO defence meeting in Brussels, US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte emphasised the urgent need for increased defence spending by both the United States and its NATO allies in response to escalating threats from anti-Western adversaries.

“Today will be an important meeting, because we will agree on the capability targets we need going forward to keep one billion people safe in NATO territory,” said Rutte. He further noted that spending decisions will be formalised at the NATO summit scheduled for 24–26 June in The Hague, adding: “We already know we need to spend much, much more if we want to fulfil all these targets.”

Hegseth, in turn, thanked Rutte for his hospitality and reiterated that his mission in Europe is to ensure all NATO members contribute their fair share to collective defence.

“The reason I'm here is to make sure every country in NATO understands every shoulder has to be to the plough; every country has to contribute at that level of 5 per cent as a recognition of the nature of the threat,” Hegseth said.

He underscored that while the United States remains proud to stand alongside its allies, maintaining peace through strength must not be mistaken for dependence in an increasingly complex geopolitical environment.

The upcoming NATO summit in The Hague is expected to feature prominently the theme of burden-sharing, with a renewed focus on deterrence and readiness amid growing global instability.