NATO reports record 2026 defence spending, five allies set to hit 3.5% of GDP

NATO released its 2026 defence‑budget projections, estimating that the alliance’s total defence spending will exceed $1.8 trillion – about 11 % higher than in 2025 – marking the first time the combined budget passes the $1.8 trillion threshold. The United States remains the largest single spender, accounting for roughly 57 % of the total with an estimated $1.03 trillion in 2026. Germany, the United Kingdom, France, Italy, Canada and Turkey follow in the ranking.

Five NATO members – Lithuania, Estonia, Latvia, Poland and Greece – are projected to spend more than 3.5 % of their gross domestic product on core defence in 2026, meeting the alliance’s 2035 target for core‑defence spending ahead of schedule. Overall, European NATO members and Canada are expected to allocate about 2.53 % of GDP to core defence, while the alliance as a whole aims for a 5 % of GDP defence spend by 2035 (3.5 % on core defence and 1.5 % on broader security‑related investments). NATO Secretary‑General Mark Rutte called on allies to present “clear, concrete and credible” plans to reach the higher benchmark at the Ankara summit, where new procurement contracts worth over $50 billion were also announced.