Germany vows fair share of Europe's defence as Nato leaders arrive at Hague summit

Nato prepares for June summit in Hague

Leaders of the NATO military alliance will meet in The Hague on 24 June for talks on how the organisation can adapt to a changing global landscape, with members expected to announce increased commitments to joint defence.

Germany's 'fair share' pledge

Among the issues to be addressed will be Russia's war against Ukraine, and how NATO can best support Ukraine and reinforce its own defences. Ahead of the summit, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has pledged that Germany will increase its spending on the NATO budget to above 2% of its gross domestic product.

Speaking on a visit to Paris on 7 June, Scholz said: "Germany and Europe have a responsibility to ensure that NATO remains fit for the future in a more dangerous world … We will invest more than previously in armsaments and capabilities in the coming years."

Increased defence spending

Scholz did not say how much above 2% of GDP the German spending pledge would be, but his comments were welcomed by NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, who said the alliance hoped to agree on a "new strategic concept" at the summit.

The so-called 2% spending pledge has been a sore point between NATO and EU member states since 2014, when NATO allies agreed to spend at least 2% of their GDP on defence by 2024.

But despite recent increases in defence spending, just nine countries were expected to meet the deadline, with Germany falling short for years.