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- The alliance hopes to keep Trump bound to its mutual defense vow by meeting his demand for a headline figure of five percent of GDP on defense spending
THE HAGUE: US President Donald Trump swept into NATO鈥檚 Hague summit Tuesday, with allies hoping a pledge to ramp up defense spending will keep the mercurial leader of the military superpower committed to protecting them.
Trump joined leaders from NATO鈥檚 31 other members to kick off the two-day gathering with a dinner hosted by Dutch King Willem-Alexander in the ornate Orange Hall at his royal residence.
The alliance hopes to keep Trump bound to its mutual defense vow by meeting his demand for a headline figure of five percent of GDP on defense spending.
But Trump refused to say he was committed to NATO鈥檚 Article Five clause and protecting Europe in comments that will likely rattle his counterparts on the continent.
鈥淒epends on your definition. There鈥檚 numerous definitions of Article Five,鈥� Trump told journalists aboard Air Force One. 鈥淚鈥檓 committed to being their friend.鈥�
To keep Trump on board, NATO members have thrashed out a compromise deal to dedicate 3.5 percent to core military needs by 2035, and 1.5 percent to broader security-related areas such as cybersecurity and infrastructure.
NATO says the military build-up is crucial to deter Russia, which officials warn is rapidly rebuilding its forces depleted by the war in Ukraine and could be ready to attack the alliance in five years.
But it is just as important for keeping Trump engaged as Washington warns it may shift forces from Europe to face the threat from China.
鈥淭hey鈥檙e going to be lifting it to five percent, that鈥檚 good,鈥� Trump said. 鈥淚t gives them much more power.鈥�
But while the promise of more spending could win Trump over, deep divisions remain over the approach to Europe鈥檚 key security issue: Russia鈥檚 war in Ukraine.
Trump said he would probably meet Ukraine鈥檚 President Volodymyr Zelensky while in The Hague, with Kyiv hoping it can avoid a repeat of the pair鈥檚 infamous Oval Office bust-up.
European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen told an audience in The Hague that NATO鈥檚 鈥渉istoric鈥� spending pledge showed that 鈥渢he Europe of defense has finally awakened.鈥�
Alliance leaders meanwhile 鈥� many of whom are struggling to find the money that will be required 鈥� lined up to argue that the threats facing the continent required bold steps.
鈥淲e must navigate this era of radical uncertainty with agility,鈥� British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said in announcing the UK鈥檚 commitment to meet the target.
Starmer on Wednesday will formally announce that his country is buying a dozen F-35A fighters, capable of carrying atomic weapons to support NATO鈥檚 nuclear mission.
The purchase marks an expansion of Britain鈥檚 nuclear deterrence, which is currently limited to submarine-launched missiles.
A statement late Tuesday from Starmer鈥檚 office quoted Rutte as saying: 鈥淚 strongly welcome today鈥檚 announcement,鈥� calling it 鈥測et another robust British contribution to NATO.鈥�
Separately, powerhouse Germany announced plans to hit the 3.5-percent figure for core defense needs by 2029 鈥� six years before the timeline.
At the other end of the scale, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has risked Trump鈥檚 ire by insisting his country doesn鈥檛 have to meet the five percent target.
For its part, the Kremlin attacked NATO for its 鈥渞ampant militarization,鈥� with spokesman Dmitry Peskov saying: 鈥淭his is the reality that surrounds us.鈥�
Since storming back to power, Trump has upended the West鈥檚 approach to the three-year conflict by turning his back on Kyiv and opening the door to closer ties with Moscow.
Zelensky was set to play less of a central role than at recent NATO gatherings and will not attend the main working session.
But Ukraine鈥檚 president said he would discuss with Trump buying a package of weapons made up mainly of air defenses.
Zelensky would also push Trump on imposing new sanctions on Russia as Moscow has stalled peace efforts being pressed by Washington, Kyiv said.
鈥淭here are no signs that Putin wants to stop this war. Russia rejects all peace proposals including those from the US. Putin only thinks about war,鈥� the Ukrainian leader told a defense forum held alongside the summit.
Trump did briefly meet on the sidelines of the summit late Tuesday with Turkiye鈥檚 Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who urged 鈥渃lose dialogue鈥� to end the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
Rutte said allies would send the message that support for Kyiv was 鈥渦nwavering and will persist.鈥�
But despite his insistence that Ukraine鈥檚 bid for membership remains 鈥渋rreversible,鈥� NATO will avoid any mention of Kyiv鈥檚 push to join after Trump ruled it out.