The final decision regarding the inclusion of aid to Ukraine in defense expenditures is expected at the NATO summit in The Hague on June 24–25, 2025, writes Euractiv citing sources.
Kaja Kallas, the European Union High Representative for Foreign Affairs, emphasized that support for Ukraine should become an integral part of NATO countries’ collective defense efforts. She also highlighted the importance of transparency in calculating defense expenditures. This was the focus of her response to questions about the possibility of including aid to Ukraine in the overall increase in the Alliance’s defense spending.
“Of course, numbers are one thing. Capabilities are another. And I believe that Ukraine’s defense is also our defense. That’s why we have always ensured that member countries can also provide more assistance to Ukraine.”
Kallas noted that the decision on which expenses to include in the defense budget should be made by the Alliance itself. She stressed the importance of ensuring that these funds are directed toward strengthening defense capabilities rather than other projects.
“It is important that we do not blur the picture, that this goes to defense and not to other projects unrelated to it.”
Rising Defense Spending in NATO and Support for Ukraine
In January 2025, U.S. President Donald Trump called on NATO countries to raise defense spending to 5% of their GDP, pointing out that some countries are not even meeting the 2% agreement. He noted that the U.S. covers this gap, which is “unfair.”
On June 5, 2025, U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth confirmed that NATO members must increase defense spending to 5% of GDP ahead of the summit scheduled for June 24-25 in The Hague.
Sweden also supported the plan to raise NATO countries’ defense investments to 5% of GDP by 2030, with 3.5% allocated to traditional defense needs and 1.5% to defense-related expenditures. Swedish Defense Minister Pål Jonson stated that supporting Ukraine is an investment in Europe’s security, and part of the aid to Ukraine should reasonably be included in the 1.5% defense spending, as it also constitutes defense investments.
According to NATO data, in 2024, Alliance countries spent about 50 billion euros on military aid to Ukraine, compared to approximately 40 billion euros in 2023.
The final decision on including aid to Ukraine in defense spending is expected to be made at the NATO summit in The Hague on June 24-25, 2025.
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