NATO¡¯s European allies and Canada increased their defense spending by nearly 20% for the second straight year in 2025, yielding to U.S. President Donald Trump¡¯s demands and responding to mounting threats from Russia.
The surge totaled $574 billion in extra defense spending in 2025 compared to 2024, according to estimates the North Atlantic Treaty Organization published on Thursday. The new figures also showed Poland, the Baltic countries and several Nordic nations ahead of the U.S. on defense-related spending as a percentage of gross domestic product.
The boom reflects the shifting balance within NATO. The U.S. has long dominated the alliance, but Trump has doggedly questioned that role and badgered others to expand?their own military capabilities. European countries are also worried that Russia may target them next after concluding its war in Ukraine.
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