In Warsaw, defense ministers from Europe’s top five military spenders gathered to discuss their next steps in boosting defense budgets. Leaders from Germany, France, Britain, Italy, and Poland met to address the challenge of balancing increased military spending with economic realities, especially as the U.S., under President-elect Donald Trump, pressures NATO allies to spend more.
Trump recently called for NATO members to allocate 5% of their GDP to defense—a target no country has reached yet. Poland is the closest, currently spending over 4% and on track to approach the 5% mark soon. But for others, like Germany, hitting that number would mean dedicating over 40% of the country’s entire budget to defense, which German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius called unrealistic. “A debate about percentages isn’t helpful unless it translates into real progress on agreed NATO goals,” he explained.
The ministers also focused on supporting Ukraine amid fears that Trump’s leadership could pressure Kyiv into making unfavorable concessions to Russia. German Minister Pistorius emphasized their shared commitment to a fair peace for Ukraine, one where Kyiv maintains control of its future.
Italy’s Defense Minister, Guido Crosetto, acknowledged the need to increase spending but stressed the challenge of doing so during an economic crisis. He suggested a creative solution: linking defense investments to economic recovery by boosting Europe’s defense industry.
French Defense Minister Sébastien Lecornu urged a broader perspective, pointing out that modern threats go beyond traditional military challenges. From cyberattacks to terrorism, he argued, investments must also protect against new risks in an increasingly digital world. “We’re facing a worse situation than during the Cold War,” Lecornu warned. “Today, countries can be defeated without a single invasion.”
The group also explored ways to strengthen Ukraine’s own weapons production capacity to make it less dependent on external aid. Despite differences in how each nation plans to approach defense spending, the ministers all agreed on one thing: Europe needs to be ready for the challenges of a rapidly changing world.
