While U.S. and European interests had largely aligned in recent history, they have now sharply diverged, said Almut Moller, director for European and Global Affairs at the European Policy Center.

THE HAGUE, June 26 (Xinhua) -- Leaders of NATO member states concluded a two-day summit on Wednesday with a brief joint declaration committing to significantly higher defense spending, while sidestepping contentious issues such as support for Ukraine.

The Hague Summit Declaration, signed by the leaders, consists of just five paragraphs, the shortest final document in recent NATO history. By contrast, the 2024 Washington summit produced 44 paragraphs, and the 2023 Vilnius summit 90.

The brevity was seen by analysts as a sign of growing transatlantic rifts, reflecting underlying divisions between the United States and other NATO member states over defense spending and broader strategic priorities.

NEW DEFENSE EXPENDITURE GOAL

The declaration calls for NATO members to raise their annual defense expenditure to 5 percent of GDP by 2035.

U.S. President Donald Trump, who has repeatedly criticized NATO allies for failing to meet existing spending commitments, hailed the 5 percent target as a "big win for America" at a press conference after the summit, saying Washington has carried an outsized share of NATO's security burden for decades.

However, the pledge sparked controversy in Europe, where protests over military spending have intensified. In The Hague, thousands demonstrated before the summit, calling for prioritizing social services over defense budgets. One placard read: "NATO = Europe in blood and money to the great MAGA king."

Spain was among the most vocal opponents of the new target. Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez reportedly wrote to NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte ahead of the summit, calling the goal "unreasonable and counterproductive."

Trump criticized Spain, calling its position "terrible." He threatened that the United States is negotiating a trade deal with Spain, warning that the country could be made to "pay twice as much" through trade measures.

"They want a little bit of a free ride, but they'll have to pay it back to us on trade, because I'm not going to let that happen. It's unfair," Trump told reporters at the closing press conference.

To forge consensus, Rutte proposed a compromise -- 3.5 percent of GDP for core defense spending, with the remaining 1.5 percent earmarked for related areas such as infrastructure and cybersecurity. The timeline was extended from 2032 to 2035, and a clause mandating annual increases was dropped.

Rutte has been criticized for appeasing Trump. Ahead of the summit, Trump shared a fawning message from Rutte, lauding his leadership and pledging Europe's commitment to higher spending.

"Donald, you have driven us to a really, really important moment for America and Europe, and the world. You will achieve something NO American president in decades could get done," Rutte wrote. "Europe is going to pay in a BIG way, as they should, and it will be your win."

The BBC commented that Rutte has already "settled on the menu" for their meeting at The Hague: one that will avoid a row with NATO's most powerful member, the United States.

STRATEGIC RIFTS UNDERNEATH

Despite the agreement on spending, analysts warn the declaration glosses over deeper strategic disagreements. Europe continues to rely heavily on the United States for security, even as Washington seeks to pivot its strategic focus elsewhere.

Paul Taylor, a senior visiting fellow at the European Policy Center (EPC), described the 5 percent target as "unrealistic," stressing that "Most allies, including heavyweights like the UK, France, and Germany, won't achieve that."

He cautioned that European leaders risk arming Trump with a tool to label them "delinquent" and pressure them into purchasing more U.S. weaponry.

The declaration contains only a single mention of support for Ukraine, underscoring that assistance would be provided by individual countries rather than NATO collectively. The minimal mention highlights a growing divide between the Trump administration and European governments regarding NATO's future direction.

Almut Moller, EPC's director for European and Global Affairs, emphasized the urgent need for the EU to develop its own defense capabilities "given a profound and very likely long-lasting re-orientation of U.S. policy."

She stressed that the loss of mutual trust between many governments in Europe and the Trump administration has made meaningful engagement very difficult on a matter as existential as security.

While U.S. and European interests had largely aligned in recent history, they have now sharply diverged, she said.