The 23 EU members who also belong to NATO are likely to agree to raise the defence spending target above the current 2% of national output at a June summit of the alliance that will set a new level, European Council President Antonio Costa said.

The proportion of NATO nations meeting the two percent benchmark has skyrocketed since 2022. Today, some members are aiming even higher.

Even as US President Donald Trump continues to trash Nato, most members are spending more than 2% of their economy on defence and some of them are spending even more than the United States

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte urged member states of the alliance on Monday to step up defence spending beyond their common goal of 2% of national output set a decade ago, saying this was now too low because of new challenges.