Poland’s Defense Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz has voiced support for U.S. President-elect Donald Trump’s call for NATO member states to increase defense spending to 5 percent of GDP, calling it an ambitious but necessary goal for European security.
In an interview with the Financial Times, Kosiniak-Kamysz acknowledged the difficulty some nations might face in meeting the target, noting that achieving it could take a decade. However, he praised Trump for setting the benchmark, saying it serves as a critical “wake-up call” for NATO allies hesitant to prioritize defense investments. “Without ambitious goals, some countries will still question whether more spending is really necessary,” he added.
Kosiniak-Kamysz positioned Poland as a bridge between the U.S. and Europe on defense issues, emphasizing the country’s leadership role in meeting NATO targets. “Poland can be the transatlantic link between this challenge set by President Trump and its implementation in Europe,” he said.
Poland currently spends 4.7 percent of its GDP on defense, making it the highest spender among NATO members, followed by Estonia, the U.S., Latvia, and Greece, which each spend over 3 percent. In contrast, only 23 of NATO’s 32 members currently meet the alliance’s existing 2 percent target.
Kosiniak-Kamysz highlighted Poland’s plans to use its EU Council presidency to advocate for a €100 billion defense investment from the next seven-year EU budget, proposing the reallocation of unspent pandemic recovery funds. “If we could afford the debt to rebuild the economy after COVID, we can certainly find the money to protect ourselves from war,” he asserted.
During a Jan. 7 press conference, Trump reiterated his long-standing criticism of NATO’s burden-sharing, urging members to increase their spending to 5 percent of GDP. “They can all afford it,” Trump said, questioning why the U.S. continues to bear a disproportionate share of NATO funding. “Europe is in for a tiny fraction of the money that we’re in.”
Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala echoed Trump’s concerns last week, advocating for a broader conversation among European leaders about increasing defense budgets. “Two percent is the minimum today, but not all states even meet that,” Fiala remarked, emphasizing the economic benefits of defense spending, including industrial growth and technological innovation.
Fiala also pointed to a shifting security landscape, noting the declining willingness of the U.S. to provide comprehensive defense for Europe. “That’s why it’s in our interest to take care of our defense,” he concluded.
