INFOGRAPHIES – The weight of European allies and Canada in total defense spending has increased dramatically since 2022, according to the latest annual report from the Alliance.
NATO has never spent so much on defense, but it is no longer solely the responsibility of the United States. This is one of the major findings of the latest annual report by the Secretary General of the Atlantic Alliance, published on Thursday, March 26. Notably, there is a very telling graph presented by Le Grand Continent, showing that European allies and Canada account for 41% of NATO’s total defense spending, compared to only 27% in 2014. In just over a decade, they have more than doubled the budget they dedicate to defense each year.
Thus, Donald Trump’s wish is coming true. The President has continuously criticized the imbalance within the organization in favor of the United States. Under American pressure, member countries agreed in June 2025 in The Hague to increase defense spending to 5% of their GDP by 2035. This plan allows a fairer and more balanced sharing of the security burden, is hailed.
