UPDATE Trump threatens Spain:"We will make them pay twice"

During his speech at the summit, Trump also spoke about Spain, which is avoiding committing to the new 5% target, saying it was"terrible what they did."

Responding to a question from a Spanish journalist, he said:"You are the only country that is not paying. I don't know what the problem is. (…) We will make them pay twice as much. And I am really serious about it."

UPDATE 17:45 Trump will talk to Putin to "end" the war in Ukraine after meeting with Zelensky

US President Donald Trump said, after meeting with Zelensky at the NATO summit in The Hague, that he would speak with Russian President Vladimir Putin, writes The Guardian.

Regarding his meeting with Zelensky, Trump says that"I wanted to know how he was doing" and states that the meeting was "very pleasant", even if in the past"they had some difficult moments".

"I will talk to Vladimir Putin to see if we can put an end to it."

UPDATE A new Trump-Zelensky meeting on the sidelines of the NATO summit in The Hague

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky met with his American counterpart Donald Trump on Wednesday at the NATO summit in The Hague and discussed topics such as a possible ceasefire and military support for Ukraine, The Kyiv Independent reports.

UPDATE 17:00 Trump says he leaves the summit with a"slightly different" vision of NATO

Trump says he came to the NATO summit in The Hague "because it was something I had to do," but says he's leaving the event with a "slightly different" mindset.

"I saw the leaders of these countries stand up, the love and passion they showed for their countries was incredible. I've never seen anything like it. They want to protect their country. They need the United States, and without the United States, it's not going to be the same. You can ask Mark, or any of the people who were there. It was very moving to see that," Trump said, according to The Guardian.

UPDATE Nicușor Dan makes statements at the end of the NATO Summit

Romanian President Nicușor Dan is at the NATO Summit in The Hague on Wednesday, where the Alliance members decided to increase defense spending to 5% of GDP. Nicușor Dan makes statements at the end of the summit in The Hague.

More details HERE.

UPDATE NATO countries have decided to increase defense spending to 5% of GDP

NATO leaders approved, on Wednesday, an increase in defense spending to 5% of national GDP and confirmed commitments to mutual defense in the event of an attack, according to Article 5 of the NATO Treaty.

This threshold will be reached by 2035.

From this threshold, 3.5% of GDP will be dedicated to strictly military spending, and the remaining 1.5% of GDP will be allocated to security spending in a broader sense, such as infrastructure.

UPDATE Trump confirms US support in case of activation of Article 5 of the NATO Treaty

Rutte said that the US, under President Donald Trump, would defend an alliance member in the event of a possible attack.

On Wednesday, Trump was asked again about Article 5 of the NATO Treaty. He said,"We're with them all the way."

UPDATE 13:20 Nicușor Dan, brief discussion with Donald Trump at the NATO summit

Nicușor Dan had a brief discussion with US President Donald Trump at the NATO summit, according to photos published by the Presidential Administration.

UPDATE 12:27 Romania and France discuss strengthening the Cincu Battle Group

The defense ministers of Romania and France discussed on Wednesday, on the sidelines of the NATO Summit in The Hague, the strengthening of the allied presence in Cincu and increasing cooperation in the Black Sea region.

The Minister of National Defense, Liviu-Ionuț Moșteanu, had a bilateral meeting with his French counterpart, Sebastien Lecornu, on the sidelines of the NATO Summit held in The Hague, according to a statement sent by the Press Office of the Ministry of National Defense.

The two officials discussed the consolidation of the Allied Battle Group in Romania, deployed in Cincu and led by France, with the participation of military personnel from Belgium, Luxembourg and Spain.

The Romanian side stressed the importance of increasing interoperability and achieving final operational capacity at brigade level.

The discussions also included regional security issues, especially in the Black Sea area, as well as continued support for Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova.

The Romanian minister invited his French counterpart to the multinational exercise"Dacian Fall", planned for this autumn, as part of the deepening of bilateral military cooperation.

At the same time, Minister Moșteanu offered his French counterpart the Emblem of Honor of the Romanian Army.

UPDATE 11:50 Trump and NATO chief speak to reporters at summit

US President Donald Trump speaks to reporters at the NATO summit in the Netherlands, alongside the alliance's Secretary General, Mark Rutte.

UPDATE 11.36 Meeting between Defense Minister Ionuț Moșteanu and Pete Hegseth at the NATO Summit in The Hague

The new Minister of Defense, Ionuț Moșteanu, met on Tuesday with his American counterpart, Pete Hegseth, at the meeting of defense ministers from NATO states. During the discussion, the Romanian official reiterated Romania's commitment to the strategic partnership with the United States.

According to the message published on social networks by Ionuț Moșteanu, the discussions aimed at intensifying bilateral cooperation in the field of defense and strengthening security on NATO's eastern flank.

UPDATE 11:30 Keir Starmer: NATO is "as relevant as ever" 

Keir Starmer insisted that NATO is "as relevant and important as ever", avoiding answering directly questions about Donald Trump's commitment to Article 5.

This article stipulates that if a NATO member state is the victim of an armed attack, each of the other members of the alliance will consider this as an armed attack against all members, writes Skynews.

Asked about the US position, Starmer said:"We live in a very volatile world and today is about NATO unity, about showing that strength. 'We are bigger than we were before, we are stronger than we were before.'"

Asked if he would ask Donald Trump for clarification on his commitment to Article 5, Starmer said:"We are here as allies." He stressed that the countries are committed to the "importance of NATO" at this crucial time "in a very volatile world."

Starmer was then asked why the UK had decided to buy 12 F-25 fighter jets, capable of carrying US nuclear missiles. He replied: “The Strategic Defence Review recommended that we consider options, including the F-35.”

Starmer added that this was “the right decision for our country and for NATO.”

UPDATE 11.00 President Nicușor Dan met with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer

Romanian President Nicușor Dan met with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Wednesday. The meeting took place during the NATO summit in The Hague.

President Dan's message about the meeting with Starmer was sent on X. The two leaders discussed the bilateral relationship and current threats.

"A pleasure to meet with Prime Minister Keir Starmer on the sidelines of the NATO Summit. We discussed the close relationship between Romania and the United Kingdom, as strategic partners and allies. We will continue our strong cooperation in the field of security and defense, along with close coordination on hybrid and cyber threats, with a particular focus on the Black Sea region," wrote Nicușor Dan.

Main objective

The summit is expected to approve a higher defense spending target of 5% of GDP, in response to Trump's demand and European fears that Russia poses an increasingly direct threat to their security following its invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte acknowledged that it is not easy for countries to find funds for additional defense spending, but said it is essential to do so.

"My colleagues at the negotiating table are absolutely convinced that, given the threat from the Russians and the international security situation, there is no other alternative," he told reporters Wednesday morning.

Trump threatened not to protect NATO members if they fail to meet spending targets and again raised doubts about his commitment on the way to the summit by avoiding directly supporting the mutual defense clause in the alliance's Article 5.

Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, he said there were"numerous definitions" of the clause."I'm committed to saving lives. I'm committed to protecting life and safety. And I'll give you an exact definition when I get there," he said.

The new goal must be achieved within the next 10 years

The new target, to be achieved over the next 10 years, represents a significant increase from the current target of 2% of GDP, although it will be measured differently. It would mean additional annual spending of hundreds of billions of dollars.

Countries would spend 3.5% of GDP on basic defense, such as troops and weapons, and 1.5% on broader defense-related measures, such as cybersecurity, protecting pipelines, and adapting roads and bridges to support military vehicles.

All NATO members have supported a declaration enshrining this goal, although Spain has said it is not necessary to meet it. Madrid argues that it can meet its military commitments to NATO with much less spending, a view disputed by Rutte.

But Rutte agreed to a diplomatic deal with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez as part of his intense efforts to give Trump a diplomatic victory and ensure the summit goes smoothly, according to Reuters.

An unusual perspective on summit diplomacy

Trump offered an unusual insight into these efforts on Tuesday, posting a private message in which Rutte praised and congratulated him for"decisive action in Iran."

"You will achieve something that no American president has been able to achieve in recent decades," Rutte told Trump.

"Europe will pay significantly, as it should, and it will be your victory."

To please Trump, Rutte kept the summit and the final statement brief and focused on the spending commitment.

The text is expected to mention Russia as a threat and reaffirm allies' support for Ukraine, but without dwelling on these issues, given that Trump has adopted a more conciliatory stance toward Moscow and has been less favorable to Kiev than his predecessor, Joe Biden.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky had to settle for a seat at the pre-summit dinner on Tuesday night instead of a seat at the main meeting on Wednesday, although Trump said he would likely meet with Zelensky separately.

Zelensky and his advisers have said they want to talk to Trump about purchasing American weapons, including Patriot missile defense systems, and about increasing pressure on Moscow through tougher sanctions.

The Kremlin has accused NATO of heading towards rampant militarization and of portraying Russia as a"demon from hell" to justify its significant increase in defense spending.