EU state pledges to outpace US in NATO military spending

Poland has pledged to raise its defense budget to 4.8% of GDP in 2026, outpacing all other NATO members, including the US

Poland has announced plans to outpace the US in relative military spending, committing 4.8% of GDP to defense in 2026.

The announcement follows repeated demands by US President Donald Trump that European NATO members play a bigger role in their own security, contribute more to supplying Ukraine, and raise their military budgets to 5% of GDP. In July, the bloc’s members agreed to pursue the target by 2035, a shift from the previous 2% guideline.

On Thursday, Polish Finance Minister Andrzej Domanski said Warsaw will allocate a record 200 billion zloty ($55 billion) to its military under a new draft budget for 2026. The allocation would make Poland the bloc’s highest spender in relative terms, surpassing the US, which typically devotes around 3.2% of GDP to defense. Prime Minister Donald Tusk has stated that Poland must build “a modern, large army” regardless of the costs.

Other European NATO members have also stepped up military spending in recent years, committing billions to weapons purchases while arms factories across Western Europe have expanded at a “historic scale,” according to the Financial Times. The outlet reported that the pace of development has tripled since 2022, describing the expansion as Western Europe “building for war.”

Germany has reported a sharp rise in army recruitment and is considering conscription, while France’s latest defense review warned of a “major war” in Europe by 2030. EU governments have justified the military buildup by citing the alleged threat from Russia.

Moscow has denied harboring any hostile intentions and dismissed fears of a Russian attack on NATO as “nonsense.” Kremlin officials have described the Western accusations as fearmongering to inflate military budgets.

Last month, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov cautioned that Western leaders are preparing for “a real war against Russia.” He accused the EU of plunging into a “Russophobic frenzy” and warned that its militarization has become “uncontrolled.” He added that Western European nations are “transforming into a Fourth Reich,” drawing parallels between their rearmament and dangerous historical precedents.

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