The recent demand from the US administration for European NATO members to allocate 5% of their GDP to defense will undoubtedly shock many European capitals, especially those already struggling to reach the official 2% benchmark.
During a provocative speech on February 12, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth directly challenged NATO headquarters, announcing that Europe needs to assume a greater role in its conventional security. This statement challenges the very foundations of the NATO alliance.
“Our transatlantic alliance has endured for decades, and we fully expect that it will be sustained for generations to come. But this won’t just happen; it will require our European allies to step into the arena and take ownership of conventional security on the continent,” Hegseth declared.
Bottom 5 European Defence Spenders
In the analysis that follows, we’ll examine the bottom five European defense spenders within NATO as a percentage of their GDP, based on the latest data released by the Alliance in mid-2024.
This method differentiates between countries with limited financial resources but with positive intentions in defense spending, and wealthier nations that may face increasing pressure from President Donald Trump.
Insights from this data indicate that while each of these nations represents Europe’s lowest defense spenders as a percentage of GDP, their funding trends vary significantly.
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By GlobalData