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| Version 60 | Version 61 |
|---|---|
| Which countries are in Nato and how much do they spend on defence? | |
| (4 months later) | |
| Published10 May 2012 | |
| Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has pledged to meet a new Nato target to spend 5% of the UK's GDP on national security by 2035. | |
| Nato Secretary General Mark Rutte has called on members to commit 3.5% on core defence spending, and the remaining 1.5% on related areas such as resilience and cyber-security. | |
| Members are expected to agree the 5% goal at a two-day Nato summit taking place at the Hague in the Netherlands. | |
| What is Nato and why was it set up? | What is Nato and why was it set up? |
| Nato - the North Atlantic Treaty Organization - was formed in Washington DC in 1949 by 12 countries. | |
| The founding members were Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, the UK and the US. | |
| Nato was founded in Washington DC in 1949 | |
| Nato was founded in Washington DC in 1949 | |
| Nato's primary purpose, external was to block expansion in Europe by the former Soviet Union - a group of communist republics which included Russia. | Nato's primary purpose, external was to block expansion in Europe by the former Soviet Union - a group of communist republics which included Russia. |
| Members agree that if one of them is attacked, the others will help defend it, external. | |
| Nato does not have its own army, but member states can take collective military action in response to international crises. | |
| For instance, the alliance supported the UN by intervening in the war in the former Yugoslavia between 1992 and 2004. | |
| It also co-ordinates military plans and carries out joint military exercises, external. | |
| Which countries are Nato members? | Which countries are Nato members? |
| Nato has 32 members across Europe and North America - the original 12 founders plus 20 countries which have joined since 1949. | Nato has 32 members across Europe and North America - the original 12 founders plus 20 countries which have joined since 1949. |
| After the Soviet Union's collapse in 1991, many Eastern European countries became members, including Albania, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania and Slovakia. | After the Soviet Union's collapse in 1991, many Eastern European countries became members, including Albania, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania and Slovakia. |
| Finland - which has a 1,340km (832 mile) land border with Russia - joined in April 2023. Sweden became a member in March 2024. | Finland - which has a 1,340km (832 mile) land border with Russia - joined in April 2023. Sweden became a member in March 2024. |
| Having been neutral for decades, both applied to Nato in May 2022, shortly after Russia invaded Ukraine. | Having been neutral for decades, both applied to Nato in May 2022, shortly after Russia invaded Ukraine. |
| Ukraine, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Georgia have also asked to join. | Ukraine, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Georgia have also asked to join. |
| How much do Nato members spend on defence? | |
| Nato members are currently expected to spend 2% of their national income, or GDP on defence. | |
| The US and countries which are close to Russia - such as Poland and the Baltic states - have traditionally spent the most on defence. | |
| It is thought that 23 countries met the 2% target in 2024, compared to only three in 2014. | |
| The new split 5% target is seen as a concession to US President Donald Trump, who has repeatedly urged European Nato allies to boost defence spending. The US currently spends 3.4%. | |
| Nato chief Rutte said the US had agreed to meet the new target, although Trump later suggested it might not. | |
| US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth said France, Germany, the Baltic and Nordic countries, Poland, Greece and Hungary backed the 5% pledge. | |
| Spain - which spent just 1.24% of GDP on defence in 2024 - said it had secured an opt-out from the new spending plan, something Rutte later denied. | |
| In February, Sir Keir set out plans to increase the UK's core defence spending to 2.5% by April 2027 and expressed a "clear ambition" to reach 3% by 2034 if economic conditions allowed. | |
| The government has now said it will spend 2.6% on core defence and 1.5% on wider security measures by 2027. Core defence spending is not expected to hit 3.5% until 2035. | |
| It has not confirmed how it will fund the additional spending. | |
| Why isn't Ukraine a member of Nato? | |
| Russia has consistently opposed the idea of Ukraine becoming a member, fearing it would bring Nato forces too close to its borders. | Russia has consistently opposed the idea of Ukraine becoming a member, fearing it would bring Nato forces too close to its borders. |
| However, in 2008, the alliance said that Ukraine could eventually join, external. | However, in 2008, the alliance said that Ukraine could eventually join, external. |
| After Russia's invasion, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky asked for this process to be fast-tracked. | After Russia's invasion, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky asked for this process to be fast-tracked. |
| Former Nato chief Jens Stoltenberg said Ukraine could join "in the long term" but not until after the war ended. | Former Nato chief Jens Stoltenberg said Ukraine could join "in the long term" but not until after the war ended. |
| Former Nato chief Jens Stoltenberg told President Volodymyr Zelensky that Ukraine could still join in "the long-term" | |
| Former Nato chief Jens Stoltenberg told President Volodymyr Zelensky that Ukraine could still join in "the long-term" | |
| However, speaking at a defence summit in Brussels in February 2025, Defence Secretary Hegseth said "the US does not believe that Nato membership for Ukraine is a realistic outcome of a negotiated settlement". | |
| Some Nato defence chiefs pushed back against the comments. | Some Nato defence chiefs pushed back against the comments. |
| Zelensky later said he was prepared to "give up" his presidency if it meant Ukraine could join Nato. | Zelensky later said he was prepared to "give up" his presidency if it meant Ukraine could join Nato. |
| "If to achieve peace you really need me to give up my post, I'm ready," he told reporters. | "If to achieve peace you really need me to give up my post, I'm ready," he told reporters. |
| "I can trade it for Nato membership." | |
| Nato previously described Russia's invasion of Ukraine as the "most significant and direct threat to allies' security, external". | |
| It has not sent troops to Ukraine or enforced a no-fly zone over the country for fear of being pulled into a direct conflict with Russia. | |
| However, individual member states have supplied arms and equipment. | However, individual member states have supplied arms and equipment. |
| According to the German research organisation the Kiel Institute, external, the US spent 65bn euros (£55.6bn) on military support between February 2022 and April 2025 - although no new aid was allocated in March or April. | |
| European Nato members provided aid worth 72bn euros (£61.6bn) over the same period. | |
| Related topics | Related topics |
| Mark Rutte | Mark Rutte |
| UK defence spending | |
| Donald Trump | Donald Trump |
| Nato | Nato |