Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever has asked US President Donald Trump and NATO allies to allow the country to invest in defence "at its own pace".
Wednesday’s landmark agreement saw all 32 NATO Member States commit to spending 3,5% of their GDP on pure defence and 1,5% on critical infrastructure.
Belgium is uncertain about its ability to reach 5%, particularly as it is one of the worst pupils in NATO when it comes to reaching the required 2% target which was agreed back in 2014.
De Wever told reporters he had addressed the US President directly when saying: "Let us make our investments at our own pace, as a sovereign state."
Spain's dissenting position, saying it cannot commit to the 3.5% target, was widely discussed, with the Prime Minister confirming that the agreement is binding on all allies without exception.
Yet the key detail lies in the fact that Spain claims it can meet NATO's capability targets without reaching the famous 3.5%. This is a position which Belgium can also tap into given its own budget difficulties.
"It's an interpretation that everyone can follow," De Wever said. "And if it's possible for Belgium, we will naturally try. But when NATO makes this kind of estimate, they are not stupid, and they are probably right."
In his own press conference on Wednesday, Trump called out Spain for being the only country refusing to pay, saying he would make them "pay twice" in the form of a new trade deal.
It could explain why Belgium took a less confrontational strategy, as it is expected to only reach the previous 2% target – agreed in 2014 – this year. On Tuesday, the government agreed to invest 2% of GDP in defence until 2033 and 2.5% in 2034.
Indeed, the Federal Government did not agree to committing to 5% by 2035, and with the current deal it seems hard to achieve 3.5% of pure defence spending by 2035.
Prime Minister Bart De Wever and Minister of Defence and Foreign Trade Theo Francken hold a press conference at a head of states summit of the NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) military alliance, Wednesday 25 June 2025, in The Hague, The Netherlands. Credit: Belga
When asked about the reception given to the Belgian delegation at the NATO summit, the Prime Minister said he had received "many congratulations" for the strategic vision unveiled yesterday in the form of total investments of €34.2 billion, including €27 billion for new investments, between now and 2034.
"This strengthens our credibility and allows us to begin our marathon towards 3.5%," De Wever said, even if acknowledged that the outcome of this marathon remains uncertain for Belgium.
On Wednesday, a key figure in the Belgian Government clarified that Belgian defence spending will remain limited to 2% of GDP throughout the entire legislative period. This was emphasised by Vooruit leader Conner Rousseau, whose party is in the Arizona coalition. He spoke of "a good balance" in the investment agreement concluded by the Federal Government on Tuesday.
"If Mr De Wever is still prime minister in ten years' time, we will see what is decided then." The government has not yet decided where the additional defence budget – €3.5 billion per year, according to Rousseau – will come from, but Rousseau says it has been “very clearly agreed” that the sale of shareholdings will be considered first.
