Dutch government supports NATO spending target of 5% of GDP

PHOTO CAPTION: Illustrative photo — Dutch soldiers train with a machine gun from an entrenched position during Exercise Rising Griffin 2022. (NATO photo via Flickr)

THE HAGUE  -  The Dutch caretaker government is in favour of increasing the country's defence spending to a total of 5% of gross domestic product, in line with a target set by NATO, Defence Minister Ruben Brekelmans said on Friday.

"The government supports the new NATO norm to spend 3.5% on defence and 1.5% on defence-related measures," Brekelmans said in a post on X.

"Given the increasing threats this is necessary to keep the Netherlands safe."

At a NATO summit this month in The Hague, alliance members are expected to agree to an overall military spending target of 5% of GDP, with 3.5% of GDP going to core military spending and another 1.5% for defence and security-related investments.

 (Reporting by Bart Meijer; Writing by Benoit Van Overstraeten; Editing by Timothy Heritage and Gareth Jones // REUTERS)