US Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth praised Nato allies for increasing military spending but stressed that several countries must do more to meet the alliance’s defence commitments during a meeting of defence ministers in Brussels on Thursday.
Speaking ahead of the talks, Hegseth welcomed what he described as significant progress by member states in strengthening their defence budgets. However, he said some allies were still falling short of agreed targets and needed to accelerate their efforts.
“Many countries are following through, while some still need to do more,” Hegseth said, adding that honest discussions among allies were necessary to ensure collective security.
His remarks come ahead of next month’s Nato summit, where member states are expected to highlight increased defence spending in response to pressure from US President Donald Trump. Nato members have been working toward a broader goal of spending five per cent of gross domestic product on defence-related needs, while maintaining a minimum target of two per cent for core military expenditure.
Nato Secretary General Mark Rutte said Europe and Canada are projected to spend more than $90 billion extra on defence in 2025 compared with the previous year, representing nearly a 20 per cent increase.
Despite the gains, alliance officials indicated that some countries remain at risk of missing key spending targets. The issue remains a central concern as Nato seeks to strengthen its deterrence capabilities amid continuing tensions with Russia.
The discussions also focused on the United States’ plan to reduce some military assets assigned to Nato as Washington shifts more strategic attention toward China. Reports suggest the reductions could include fighter aircraft, surveillance assets, drones and naval capabilities.
European allies expressed concern about the pace of the changes. German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius said Europe could eventually compensate for many of the reductions but warned that more time would be needed to fill potential capability gaps.
Nato ministers are also discussing continued military support for Ukraine as Kyiv seeks additional assistance in its ongoing war with Russia.