NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte on Monday said member nations must present “clear, concrete and credible” plans to achieve the alliance’s target of spending five per cent of GDP on defence by 2035, as leaders gathered for the NATO Summit in Ankara.

Previewing the meeting, Rutte said commitments made by NATO leaders at last year’s summit in The Hague were already delivering results, with European allies and Canada increasing defence investments and taking on greater responsibilities within the alliance.

NATO Allies Asked To Present Plans For 5% Spending Target

“Here in Ankara, I expect nations to present clear, concrete and credible plans to reach that 5% goal. And the evidence we see so far is impressive,” Rutte said.

Highlighting the progress made since the commitment was announced, the NATO chief said European members of the alliance and Canada were already spending around four per cent of their GDP on defence and security.

“Just one year into a 10-year project, we see that European Allies and Canada are already investing around 4% of their GDP in defence and security,” he said.

According to Rutte, European allies and Canada increased spending on core defence by nearly 20 per cent last year compared with the previous year.

The additional expenditure amounted to USD 258 billion in defence investments across 2025 and 2026, he said.

NATO To Announce New Defence Contracts Worth Tens Of Billions

Rutte said the alliance must now convert increased defence expenditure into stronger military capabilities by expanding defence production, encouraging innovation and reducing bureaucratic hurdles.

“We will announce tens of billions in new contracts that will provide the crucial kit we need to deter and defend,” he said.

The NATO chief said greater defence investment would also have broader economic benefits for member countries.

“This will help grow our economies, spread innovation and support hundreds of thousands of jobs, on both sides of the Atlantic,” Rutte added.

Rutte said European allies and Canada were increasingly assuming leadership responsibilities within NATO’s command structure while strengthening conventional defence capabilities.

He pointed to efforts to reinforce the alliance’s eastern flank, the Baltic region and the Arctic, alongside continued military assistance for Ukraine.

Ukraine Support Remains Key Focus Of NATO Summit

Rutte said ensuring sustained support for Ukraine would remain a central issue at the Ankara summit as Kyiv continued to face Russian missile and drone attacks.

“Allies and NATO partners must continue to ensure Ukraine gets what it needs,” he said.

The NATO Secretary General stressed that every member of the alliance must contribute to maintaining military assistance for Kyiv.

“And let me be clear, all Allies need to pull their weight, so that our support to Ukraine continues to flow. Because Ukraine’s security is so closely linked with our own,” Rutte said.

Referring to recent Russian attacks, Rutte said Ukraine’s armed forces continued to influence battlefield dynamics through “bravery, dedication and ingenuity” but required sustained international assistance, particularly additional air defence capabilities.

Leaders From NATO Members And Partner Nations Gather In Ankara

The summit brings together leaders of NATO’s 32 member states as well as representatives from Ukraine, the European Union and partner countries from the Indo-Pacific and Gulf regions.

Rutte said NATO would continue implementing commitments agreed at the summit in The Hague by increasing defence investments, strengthening deterrence and expanding cooperation with defence industries to respond to evolving security challenges.

European allies and Canada were also stepping up conventional defence capabilities and assuming greater leadership within the alliance’s command structure, he said.

“Together we represent nearly two-thirds of the world economy. And we’re coming together because we know that cooperation is key. We’re stronger together in NATO, with partners, to ensure the freedom and security we all hold dear,” Rutte said.

NATO Has 32 Members Across North America And Europe

NATO is a security alliance comprising 32 countries from North America and Europe. The North Atlantic Treaty Organisation was established in 1949 by the United States, Canada and several Western European nations to provide collective security against the Soviet Union.

Membership of the alliance is open to “any other European state in a position to further the principles of this Treaty and to contribute to the security of the North Atlantic area.”

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