What Countries are in NATO and How Much would they spend on defensive?

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer Has Pedged to Meet a New NATO TARGET TO SPEND 5% of the UK’s GDP on National Security by 2035.

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte Called on Members to Commit 3.5% on Core Defense Spending, and the Remaining 1.5% on Related Areas Such As Resillience and Cyber-Secity.

MEMBERS ARE EXPECTED TO AGREE the 5% Goal at A Two-Wa-NATO Summit at the Hague in the Netherlands.

NATO – The North Atlantic Treaty Organization – was formed in Washington DC in 1949 by 12 Countries.

The Founding Members Were Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, The UK and the US.

NATO HAS 32 MEMBERS ACROSS EUROPE AND NORTH AMERICA – The Original 12 Founders Plus 20 Countries WHICH HAVE JOINED SINCE 1949.

After the Soviet Union’s Collaps in 1991, Many Eastern European Countries Became Members, Including Albania, Bulgaria, The Czech Republic, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania and Slovakia.

Finland – WHICH HAS A 1,340KM (832 MILE) LAND BRUDER WITH RUSSIA – JOINED IN APRIL 2023. SWEDEN BECAME A MEMBER IN MARCH 2024.

HAVING BEEN NEUTRAL FOR DECADES, Both Applied to NATO In May 2022Shortly after Russia Invaded Ukraine.

Ukraine, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Georgia Have Also Asked to Join.

NATO MEMBERS ARE CURRENTLY EXPECTED TO SPEND 2% of their National Income, or GDP on Defense, Although it is not a legally-induction Commitment.

The US and COUNTRIES WHICH ARE CLOSE TO RUSSIA – SUCH AS POLISH AND THE BALTIC STATES – Have traditionally spent the most.

Break Latest NATO Estimates Show Nine Members Failed to Meet the 2% Target in 2024, with Spain Spending the Least.

The New Split 5% Target is Seen As a Concession to US President Donald Trump, who has repeated European NATO to Boost Defense.

The latest figure show the US spent $ 935bn (£ 686bn) in 2024, which was 3.2% of it GDP and Nearly Double the Defense of the Rest of NATO Together.

NATO Chief Rutte Said The US HAD AGREED TO METE The New TargetAlthough Trump Later Suggested It Might Not.

US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth Said France, Germany, The Baltic and Nordic Countries, Poland, Greece and Hungary Backed the 5% PLEDGE.

Spain – Which Spent JUST 1.24% of GDP on Defense in 2024 – Said It Had Secured An Opt -Out from the New Spending Plan, Something Rutte Later Denied.

In february, sir keir Set Out Plass to Increase the Uk’s Core Defense Spending to 2.5% by April 2027 and expressed a “Clear Ambition” to Reach 3% by 2034 IF Economic Conditions Allowed.

Ahead of the NATO Summit The Uk Government Said IT WILL SPEND 2.6% ON CORE DEFENCE AND 1.5% on Wider Security Measures by 2027. Core defense spending is not expedited to hit 3.5% UNIL 2035.

IT HAS NOT CONFIRMED HOW IT WILL THE Additional Spending.

Russia has consistently opposed the idea of ​​ukraine Becoming a Member, Fearing It Wouuld Bring NATO Forces Too Close to Its Borders.

Howver, in 2008, The Alliance Said That Ukraine Could Eventually Join.

After Russia’s InvisionUkrainian President Volodymyr zelensky Asked for this process to be fast-tracked.

NATO Chief Jens Stoltenberg Said Ukraine Could Join “In the Long Term” but not unil after the war.