European leaders will meet with Donald Trump at a NATO summit to discuss a new defense spending target, aimed at increasing each member's contribution to 5% of GDP. This change reflects a growing desire for military independence among European nations, who feel the US may no longer be a reliable ally. Despite this, Europe's reliance on US-made military equipment raises questions about the feasibility of a fully independent European defense strategy as they continue to purchase significant amounts of military hardware from the US.
European leaders will meet with Donald Trump at a Nato summit on Tuesday, as the alliance prepares to approve a significant boost to defence spending.
A new target for every member to spend 5% of GDP marks a major win for the US president.
Europe's militaries still overwhelmingly rely on US-made weapons and equipment, raising doubts about ambitions for European-led rearmament.
European states are still turning to the US to plug critical gaps, buying more than 15,000 missiles from the US in the past five years.
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