The designation ‘historical’ is definitely the one who characterizes the NATO In The Hague. The 32 members of the Alliance decided to increase defense spending from 2%to 5%, as Donald Trump claimed, who also achieved a historic victory.

What happened at the meeting will follow the alliance for many years and determine its movements and decisions. It is therefore useful to stand up to what happened on Thursday, June 25, 2025, in The Hague.

The five key points of the session were:

1) The large increase in defense expenditure

The main conclusion is the allies’ commitment to a 5% target for defense spending, which must be achieved within a decade.
This is a remarkable increase in the current 2%guideline, which is currently not adhered to by eight NATO members, by the total of 32.

3.5% will concern direct defense spending, ie coverage of weapons systems and troops, while the other 1.5% will concern investments and regional movements, which – of course – will be related to defense.

And this is an appropriately broad concept that can be applied to costs even linked only to defense: if they are used to “protect our critical infrastructure, defense of our networks, ensuring our political readiness and durability, liberating our innovation and enhancing our innovation”.

Plans to achieve the 5% rate should be submitted annually and should follow a “credible, gradual course”. A review will take place in 2029.

2) Article 5 … one for all and all for one

For as long as NATO exists, Article 5 on Collective Defense is a basic principle which means that an attack on an ally is considered an attack on all. So, when Trump hinted at the summit that there were “numerous definitions” for the mutual security guarantee, this was a reminder of the comments he did during the election campaign last year, when he suggested that if a country did not pay her expenses, I would not “do so”.

This agreement at the Summit seems to call into question any concerns about Trump’s intentions because it confirms “our firm commitment to collective defense”. “I support Article five, so I’m here,” he told reporters later.

3) Trump and the Russian war

The issue of Russia will always be difficult. Most NATO countries – especially those close to the Russian border – agree that Moscow could be an immediate threat to them in the near future. Rutte himself has stated that Russia could use military force against the alliance within five years. Last year’s statement at the end of the summit referred to Moscow’s “brutal war” several times.

However, the Trump He had a much milder approach to Moscow and resisted to deal with it as an opponent. Therefore, it was always unlikely to approve a statement that characterized Russia as the clear guilty to the bloody war of Ukraine, which began more than three years ago.

Thus, while the statement states the “long -term threat posed by Russia for Euro -Atlantic security” and confirms the need to provide constant support to Ukraine, there is no specific conviction of Russia in the announcement.

4) ‘conflict’ Trump with Spain

After the … bad experience of Volodimir Zelenski at the White House last February, European leaders tried to avoid putting them with Donald Trump. Spain’s socialist Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez went to The Hague with many internal political scandals. Spain is at the bottom of NATO spending ranking with 1.24% of GDP for defense. He went to The Hague insisting that 2.1% was enough and told reporters after signing a summit statement that Spain considered the amount “sufficient, realistic and compatible with our social model and welfare state”.

The Spanish prime minister was noticeably distant during “family photography”, preferring to finally stand away from his NATO colleagues. There were implications that he had done everything he could to avoid Trump. But Sanchez had already drawn Trump’s attention and the US president did not accept it.

“It’s awful what they did,” said Trump, who accused Madrid of seeking “a free trip”. “We are negotiating with Spain for a trade agreement, but we will make them pay twice,” the US president said.

Because Spain is a member of the European Union, Trump will find it difficult to do so – but Sanchez will return to Madrid isolated in NATO.

5) Route and … Patteroulis Trump

No one would know better about the possible traps of this summit by NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, who participated in an unexpected exchange of views with the US President, in which he described him as “dad”.

Rutte had already flattered Trump in a private message For the “decisive action in Iran” that “no American president could have done for decades.” Trump published Route’s message on social media.

Then, in a joint appearance with Trump on Wednesday, Rutte reacted to Trump who described the war between Israel and Iran as “as two children in a school court” who had a large fight. “And then dad must sometimes use hard tongue to stop them,” the NATO secretary general said.

Asked if he did it with his flattery, Rutte said he did not believe it: “I think it is worth all the praises.”

Trump, framed by Foreign Minister Marco Rubio who was smiling and defense minister Pitt Hegsheth, seemed to have fun with all this.