NATO's Rutte calls for raising defence spending above 2% of GDP

By Sergio Goncalves and Miguel Pereira

LISBON (Reuters) -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.

Rutte spoke in Lisbon alongside Portuguese Prime Minister Luis Montenegro, who reiterated his country's pledge to meet the 2% goal by 2029. In 2023, Portugal spent 1.5% of its gross domestic product (GDP) on its NATO commitments.

"We know that the goal of 2%, set a decade ago, will not be enough to meet the challenges of tomorrow," Rutte said. "That means we need to spend more on our defence now."

NATO allies will discuss whether they should raise the current 2% target at a summit in the Hague this summer, amid pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump for NATO allies to raise defence spending to 5% of GDP - a target no NATO member currently meets.

Rutte reiterated Western accusations that Russia was trying to destabilise NATO member states with acts ranging from assassination attempts to cyber attacks and sabotage, while waging a brutal war of aggression against Ukraine.

Moscow denies trying to destabilise Western states and says its military actions in Ukraine are aimed at bolstering its own national security.

Montenegro said that Portugal was seeking ways to bring forward the date for meeting the 2% target, but that it would depend on the country finding a way to increase investments in defence without jeopardising its small budget surplus.

(Reporting by Sergio Goncalves, writing by Andrei Khalip, editing by Inti Landauro, Charlie Devereux and Gareth Jones)