NATO announced on Tuesday that core defense spending by Europe and Canada increased by 11 percent in 2026, reaching $634 billion compared to $571 billion the previous year. The figures come as US President Donald Trump pressures allies to accelerate their military budget commitments during a summit in Ankara.
Spending Growth Slows but Remains Substantial
The 11 percent rise in 2026 marks a deceleration from the approximately 19 percent increase recorded between 2024 and 2025. Despite the growth, European and Canadian spending still lags significantly behind US military expenditure. Trump has demanded that Washington's allies fulfill a pledge to allocate five percent of their GDP to broader security-related spending by 2035.
Five Nations Already Hitting 5% Target
According to NATO, five countries, including Poland and the Baltic states, are already meeting the five percent threshold this year. However, other members are falling short. Slovenia trails at the bottom with core defense spending at just 1.61 percent of GDP. The alliance's 32 leaders are gathering in Ankara for the summit, where defense burden-sharing is a key topic.
