
Greater Nashua
NATO leaders agree to hike military spending and restate 'ironclad commitment' to collective defense
THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — NATO leaders agreed on a massive hike in defense spending Wednesday after pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump, and expressed their "ironclad commitment" to come to each other's aid if attacked. The 32 leaders endorsed a final summit statement saying: "Allies commit to invest 5% of GDP annually on core defense requirements as well as defense- and security-related spending by 2035 to ensure our individual and collective obligations." The show of unity vindicated NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte's billing of the summit as "transformational," even though it papered over divisions. Trump called the spending boost "something that no one really thought possible. And they said, 'You did it, sir. You did it.' Well, I don't know if I did it, but I think I did." Spain had already officially announced that it cannot meet the target, and others have ...