Seven NATO Countries Increase Defense Spending Exceeding 3% of GDP
Daily Monitor
March 26, 2026
Seven NATO Countries Increase Defense Spending Exceeding 3% of GDP
In 2025, seven NATO member states allocated over 3% of their Gross Domestic Product (GDP) to defense expenditures, as reported in the alliance’s annual report.
Three nations have already met the 3.5% defense spending target set for 2035, following an agreement among the 32 member states last year under pressure from U.S. President Trump. Additionally, NATO countries are expected to invest 1.5% of their GDP in defense-related areas such as infrastructure and cybersecurity. Poland, Lithuania, and Latvia recorded the highest defense spending relative to GDP in 2025.
For journalistic integrity, this report was summarized from: deutschlandfunk.de