The Netherlands supports NATO 5% target
The government of the Netherlands intends to support the NATO proposal for 3.5% of gross domestic product (GDP) per year to be spent on defence and 1.5% of GDP per year to be allocated to broader investment in relevant areas such as societal resilience and infrastructure. This was the message set out by Prime Minister Dick Schoof today in a letter to the Dutch House of Representatives. The NATO allies are expected to agree on the percentage at the NATO Summit in The Hague.
Prime Minister Dick Schoof: ‘With a war on our continent, our security can no longer be taken for granted. So increasing investment in our own defence is inevitable. The NATO alliance is indispensable in that regard. The Netherlands will shoulder its responsibility.’
Discussions between the NATO allies will continue over the coming period to work out precise definitions, the details of defence-related expenditure, and the envisaged timescale.
In its plans for the 2026 budget the government has already taken a step towards the spending target. It will spend 2.2% of GDP on defence, including support for Ukraine. After this it will be up to an incoming government to determine how it will meet the target, as part of a broader assessment of overall expenditure.
On Tuesday 17 June, the House of Representatives will debate the Dutch position going into the NATO Summit, with the Prime Minister, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Minister of Defence. The Netherlands is hosting the Summit, which will be held in The Hague on 24 and 25 June.
Originally published at https://www.government.nl/latest/news/2025/06/13/the-netherlands-supports-nato-5-target
