NATO countries’ budgets compared: Defence vs healthcare and education

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, US President Donald Trump, Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer, France's President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban pose for a photo during a NATO leaders' summit in The Hague, Netherlands, June 25, 2025 [Claudia Greco/Reuters]

NATO leaders signed a deal to increase defence spending as the annual alliance summit in The Hague drew to a close after two days of meetings on Tuesday and Wednesday.

At the top of the agenda was a big new defence spending target demanded by US President Donald Trump, which will see NATO members spend 5 percent of their economic output on core defence and security.