Brussels — NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte has described the alliance’s recent commitment to boost defence spending as the most significant foreign policy achievement of U.S. President Donald Trump. In an interview, Rutte said NATO is “stronger than it ever was” thanks to Trump’s pressure on allies to contribute more to collective defence.

The pledge, agreed at the 2025 NATO summit, requires member states to allocate 5 percent of their economic output to defence. Rutte noted that Trump’s insistence on fair burden-sharing had reshaped the alliance, calling the outcome “good news for NATO, for collective defence, and for Ukraine.”

Trump has long criticised European allies for underfunding their militaries, at times threatening to withdraw U.S. protection if they failed to meet obligations. His tough stance, Rutte argued, forced governments across Europe to accelerate defence budgets. Northern and Eastern European nations, including the Baltic States, Poland, and Germany, have already pledged to meet the new minimum by 2029 or sooner.

The announcement comes amid heightened warnings about Russia’s intentions. Rutte has cautioned that Moscow could target NATO allies within the next five years, echoing intelligence assessments that Russia is escalating covert campaigns against Western societies. Russian President Vladimir Putin dismissed such claims as “hysteria,” insisting that talk of a European invasion was “pure nonsense.”

While critics argue Trump’s confrontational style strained transatlantic relations, Rutte’s remarks highlight how his approach produced tangible results. The spending pledge is seen as a turning point for NATO, reinforcing deterrence and signalling unity at a time of growing geopolitical instability.