Pellegrini: Slovak Comments Incorporated into Final NATO Declaration

The Hague/Bratislava, 25 June (TASR-correspondent) - Following the NATO summit on Wednesday, Slovak President Peter Pellegrini stated that the final declaration adopted by the leaders of the member states at the meeting corresponds to the comments presented by Slovakia during negotiations, TASR learnt from its special correspondent on the same day. According to Pellegrini, there was nothing surprising in the text of the declaration, and the leaders approved it without any objections. On Wednesday, NATO member countries agreed that by no later than 2035, they will increase their military spending to five percent of their GDP annually. In the final declaration of the summit held in the Hague, Netherlands, the leaders of the 32 allied states also reaffirmed their commitment to mutual defense. The significant increase in military spending was advocated by US President Donald Trump and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte. Of the five percent of GDP, 3.5 percent should go directly to the military, and 1.5 percent is intended for other defense-related expenditures, such as building or reconstructing infrastructure. The Slovak President emphasised that the declaration included proposals, which Slovakia had promoted along with other member states such as Italy and the United Kingdom. Pellegrini highlighted the fact that the deadline for raising military expenditures to five percent was set for 2035 - Rutte had previously proposed a time frame of five or possibly seven years. Pellegrini also appreciated that member states are not bound to increase expenditures by a specific amount each year and were given flexibility in this regard. He noted that countries can choose whether they want to initially invest in infrastructure projects and strengthening national resilience or in weapons systems. In his address at the NATO summit, the President focused mainly on practical matters. „I confirmed that we understand that Europe must take on a more responsible and balanced role in its defense capabilities, and that it is necessary to strengthen the European part of the Alliance so we can be in solidarity with our allied partners,” he explained. The President warned that increasing defense spending could lead to higher prices for military equipment and supplies. „We must find a way to avoid a situation where, in the coming years, we end up paying more for less than we are able to purchase today,” he said. The President was accompanied at the summit by Defense Minister Robert Kalinak and Foreign Affairs Minister Juraj Blanar. mf/mcs