Washington - Brussels: Europe and the Arabs

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte began a two-day visit to Washington on Monday. The Secretary General will meet with US President Donald J. Trump, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, and members of Congress. According to a statement issued by NATO headquarters in Brussels, Trump will meet with the NATO Secretary General as the arms sales plan for Ukraine emerges. US President Donald Trump stated that the United States would be prepared to supply weapons to Ukraine through NATO and that he would make a "major statement" on Monday.
A few days ago, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte met with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz in Berlin and thanked him for Germany's leadership in the alliance and its support for Ukraine.
Mr. Rutte praised Germany's resolve, commitment, and contributions to our common security, as well as its historic decision to significantly increase defense investment. Emphasizing the importance of Germany's defense industrial base, he said, "Your world-class industries and entrepreneurs are capable of increasing production, innovation, and achievement."
At a ceremony marking the 70th anniversary of Germany's accession to NATO, the Secretary General thanked Germany for its contributions to the Alliance. Mr. Rutte said, "When the world becomes more dangerous and our security is at stake, Germany steps up." Last month, following a NATO summit in the Netherlands, Rutte said, "NATO leaders agreed on the Hague Defense Investment Plan. This will transform our collective defense. They agreed to strengthen our defense industries, which will not only enhance our security but also create jobs. We affirmed our unwavering support for Ukraine. All of this is crucial.
It means that whatever challenges we face—whether from Russia, terrorism, cyberattacks, sabotage, or strategic competition—this Alliance is and will remain ready, willing, and able to defend every inch of its territory and ensure that our billion people can continue to live in freedom and security.
These decisions will profoundly impact our ability to do what NATO was founded to do: deter and defend. A key decision in this regard is the adoption of the Hague Defense Investment Plan.
Under this plan, Allies agreed to invest 5% of GDP in defense. This is an important commitment in the face of serious threats to our security.
The plan includes an investment of at least 3.5% of GDP for basic defense requirements—a benchmark that until now had been set at 2%. This is a target I am pleased to say all Allies will achieve or have already achieved this year.
The 3.5% is allocated to fund our militaries and the equipment they need—from our air defenses to ammunition, drones, tanks, troops, and more.
In addition to the 3.5% allocated to basic defense, the plan includes allocating 1.5% of GDP to investments that support our defense and security. All this to ensure we can effectively deter aggression and defend ourselves and each other should anyone make the mistake of attacking.
Allies recognize the seriousness of the threats we face. In response, they have agreed to an ambitious but fundamental new commitment to defense spending.
Our decisions, from the Mediterranean to the Arctic, from the west coast of North America to our eastern flank, demonstrate that all Allies are united in their understanding of the need to intensify efforts to keep us safe—and they are working to do so.
President Trump has been clear: America is committed to NATO. He has reaffirmed that. Today, in no uncertain terms.
At the same time, I made clear that America expects its European allies and Canada to contribute more. And that's exactly what we see them doing.
European allies and Canada will do more of the hard work, balance their spending, and take greater responsibility for our shared security.