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NATO needs to define the substance of its 1.5 percent pledge
Following the 2025 Hague summit, NATO allies agreed to a new category of defense-related spending tied to a 1.5 percent GDP pledge, but the alliance has yet to define what expenditures qualify under this commitment. The Atlantic Council highlights the need for NATO to establish clear criteria and substance for this spending category. The debate reflects ongoing tensions within the alliance over burden-sharing and defense investment standards.