--- title: "NATO Secretary General: Europe and Canada to Increase Defense Spending by $258 Billion" description: "NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte announced an increase in allies' defense spending by $258 billion. Germany plans to double its military budget to 5% of GDP by 2029 to respond to Trump's criticism. πŸ‡©πŸ‡ͺπŸ‡ΊπŸ‡ΈπŸ›‘οΈ" date: 2026-07-07T01:34:00.000Z lang: en url: https://xab.info/en/posts/nato-rutte-europe-canada-defense-spending-ankara tags: [] publisher: "XAB.info" --- # NATO Secretary General: Europe and Canada to Increase Defense Spending by $258 Billion ![German soldier on an armored vehicle in winter conditions, symbolizing the increase in NATO military spending](https://xab.info/media/2026/07/07/nato-rutte-germaniya-voennye-raskhody-ankara/nato-rutte-germaniya-voennye-raskhody-ankara-1.webp) On the eve of the NATO summit in Ankara, the alliance's Secretary General, Mark Rutte, announced ambitious plans to strengthen the defense capabilities of Western nations. According to him, allies β€” European countries and Canada β€” intend to increase their defense spending by $258 billion. These additional funds will be allocated for financing in 2025 and 2026. ### Response to Criticism from Washington The announced budget increase comes against the backdrop of tough rhetoric from US President Donald Trump. The US leader has repeatedly accused alliance partners of insufficient funding for their own security, calling some figures "laughable." Rutte expressed confidence that the new plans will allow Europe and Canada to match the US in terms of defense investment levels. "The evidence we see in the spending between European allies and Canada is impressive," emphasized the NATO chief, urging country leaders to present "clear, concrete, and convincing plans" for further funding. ### Germany: Ambitious Plan to Double the Budget Special attention in these plans is paid to Berlin. Chancellor Friedrich Merz, seeking to repair Germany's reputation in the eyes of Washington, has already spoken with Donald Trump, explaining that the US President is operating on outdated data. Berlin is preparing an aggressive increase in military spending: Germany plans to reach a figure of 5% of GDP by 2029, which significantly outpaces the standard schedules previously set by the Alliance. According to approved plans, Germany's defense budget will grow by 30% by 2027, reaching almost 110 billion euros. Merz assured journalists that the country will double its military spending in just four years. "These are the greatest efforts we have ever made to strengthen our defense capabilities. In this regard, we have no reason to shy away from anyone," the Chancellor stated. ### Agenda of the Summit in Ankara Merz's main goal at the upcoming summit is to send a clear signal that Europe must become the dominant player within NATO, which, in his view, will help preserve the transatlantic nature of the alliance. From July 7 to 8, leaders of participating countries will gather in Ankara. US President Donald Trump is expected to attend and will also meet with Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy. However, despite the loud promises regarding the budget, organizational issues of the summit remain complex. It is reported that NATO countries have not yet been able to agree on the text of a joint statement. The main stumbling block has been disagreements over the timing and volume of military aid to Ukraine.