NATO pressures allies on defence spending while Croatia pledges more troops for Kosovo

NATO is gearing up for its summit in Ankara on 7‑8 July, where the alliance will confront pressure from the United States for members to meet the 2 % of GDP defence‑spending target. NATO Secretary‑General Mark Rutte warned that the KFOR mission in Kosovo could be cut from around 4,700 troops to 3,000‑3,500, a level similar to pre‑2023. In response, Croatian defence minister Ivan Anušić announced that Croatia is ready to increase its troop contribution to KFOR.

Recent NATO data show that Albania, the Czech Republic and Slovenia fell short of the 2 % target last year, prompting US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth to caution allies to assume greater responsibility for European security. Discussions also highlighted the alliance’s “NATO 3.0” transformation, emphasizing the need to turn increased defence budgets into tangible combat capabilities. Albania is slated to host the upcoming NATO summit, but its shortfall in defence spending has raised concerns about its eligibility.

Overall, the alliance is balancing calls for higher defence investment, potential troop reductions in Kosovo, and broader strategic restructuring ahead of the July summit.