[Source](https://www.newsmax.com/Newsfront/nato-defense-spending/2026/03/26/id/1250847/) > NATO's European allies and Canada increased defense spending by 20% in 2025 compared to the previous year in real terms, alliance chief Mark Rutte said in his annual report published Thursday, urging NATO members to keep up the momentum. > "I expect Allies at the next NATO Summit in Ankara to show they are on a clear and credible path toward the 5% objective," he wrote, adding that "a strong transatlantic bond remains essential in an age of global uncertainty." > President Donald Trump has repeatedly demanded that NATO partners significantly boost defense expenditures, as the U.S. administration maintains that European allies should ultimately assume primary responsibility for the conventional defense of the continent.