NATO to Propose 5% Military Spending Target for All Members | Rutte Calls It a 'Historic' Decision

Описание: 1. VARIOUS OF NATO SECRETARY GENERAL MARK RUTTE ARRIVING FOR PRESS CONFERENCE

2. (SOUNDBITE) (English) NATO SECRETARY GENERAL, MARK RUTTE, SAYING:

"I will propose an overall investment plan that will total 5% of GDP in defence investment. 3.5% of GDP for core defence spending. This is based on overall costs to meet the new capability targets that ministers have just agreed. And 1.5% of GDP per year in defence and security-related investments like infrastructure and industry."

3. JOURNALIST ASKING (English): "Could you tell us, Secretary General, if this new 5% target also applies to the U.S., which has been lecturing allies to increase spending to 5%? They only spend 3.4% at present."

4. (SOUNDBITE) (English) NATO SECRETARY GENERAL, MARK RUTTE, SAYING:

"Yes, it's also, of course, this is for the whole alliance, including the U.S."

5. (SOUNDBITE) (English) NATO SECRETARY GENERAL, MARK RUTTE, SAYING:

"NATO will remain a nuclear alliance as long as nuclear weapons exist. And we will ensure that NATO's nuclear capability remains credible and effective."

6. PRESS CONFERENCE ONGOING

7. JOURNALIST ASKING (English): "(Do you already) have a consensus agreement on the 5% target, or do you expect this to be contentious before that? Thank you."

8. (SOUNDBITE) (English) NATO SECRETARY GENERAL, MARK RUTTE, SAYING:

"There's broad support. I think (U.S. Defense Secretary) Pete Hegseth said when he left the building today, he said 'near consensus'. So we are really close. But always, this is a big decision. What we did today was a big decision, agreeing on the capability targets. We use this word often, 'historic'. But I think we are allowed today to use that word, that the decision today is historic."

9. JOURNALIST LISTENING

10. (SOUNDBITE) (English) NATO SECRETARY GENERAL, MARK RUTTE, SAYING:

"I'm really confident. And we have to do that, because otherwise, we all know we will be safe for the next couple of years. But then we need to use those years to learn Russian if we don't do this."

11. VARIOUS OF RUTTE LEAVING

STORY: At the upcoming NATO summit in the Hague, the Alliance will propose its members an overall military spending target of 5% of gross domestic product, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said at a press conference in Brussels, on Thursday (June 5).

According to Rutte, there is a "broad support" among the member states to reach 5%, with 3.5% of GDP going to core military spending and another 1.5% for defence and security-related investments.

When asked if the new target will also apply to the United States, the Secretary General assured that "this is for the whole alliance, including the U.S."

Details of the new investment plan will likely continue to be negotiated until the eve of the NATO summit in the Hague in the Netherlands, later in June