# Belgium confirms it met NATO's 2% of GDP defence spending target in 2025, a first in its alliance history > Belgium confirmed on 26 March 2026 that its 2025 defence budget reached 2% of gross domestic product, the first time the country has met the NATO target since joining the alliance; the De Wever government has committed to a €34bn Strategic Vision for 2026-2034 targeting 2.5% of GDP by 2034 and 3.5% by 2035 **Meta:** type: event · date: 2026-03-26 · heads: 誰の金か, 長期戦 · 6 takes · 6 lenses · 2 regions ## Summary [Belgium](/ja/entity/belgium) confirmed on 26 March 2026 that its 2025 defence expenditure reached 2% of gross domestic product, the first time in the country's NATO membership history that it has met the alliance's benchmark. The announcement came from Defence Minister Theo Francken (N-VA) and was confirmed by Belgian national news agency Belga. The 2025 defence budget was approximately €12.8 billion. The milestone closes a gap that had made Belgium a recurring target of criticism from NATO allies and, in the Trump administration era, from US officials who repeatedly named it as a free-rider. The De Wever government has also published a Strategic Vision for 2026-2034 committing €34bn in defence investment, targeting 2.5% of GDP by 2034 and 3.5% by 2035, in line with commitments made at the June 2025 NATO Hague Summit. Major procurement items in the plan include a third frigate, 1,500 new combat vehicles, 2,100 logistical vehicles, additional F-35A fighters, major air defence and counter-drone systems, and expanded cyber and space capabilities. ## The split The De Wever government presented the 2% confirmation as a mark of restored NATO credibility, with Francken describing Belgium as "once again a reliable NATO partner." [NATO Alliance](/ja/entity/nato-alliance) Secretary General framing of the Hague Summit outcome as a new floor of 2% gave Belgium a target to meet publicly. US officials, including those in the Trump administration, had cited Belgium by name as a NATO laggard in 2024 and 2025. Opposition parties in Belgium's parliament criticised the pace and scale of the spending increase as coming at the expense of domestic social programmes, particularly given the simultaneous Arizona austerity package. Russia's government described European defence spending increases as "escalatory." ## By the numbers - 2.0%, Belgium's 2025 defence spending as a share of GDP (first time at NATO target) - €12.8bn, approximate Belgium 2025 defence budget - 1.0%, Belgium's defence spending share of GDP in 2020 - 1.27%, Belgium's defence spending share of GDP in 2024 - €34bn, Belgium's Strategic Vision defence investment commitment for 2026-2034 - 2.5%, Belgium's GDP defence spending target for 2034 - 3.5%, Belgium's GDP defence spending target for 2035 ## Why it matters Belgium's 2% confirmation matters symbolically and institutionally. Symbolically, it removes a chronic irritant in NATO solidarity narratives, particularly relevant given the Trump administration's repeated warnings about allied burden-sharing. Institutionally, the €34bn Strategic Vision commits Belgium's defence procurement pipeline for nearly a decade, with real consequences for Saab, MBDA, and European defence companies. Belgium's adherence also strengthens the EU case that European NATO allies can collectively hit the 2% floor without requiring a general election mandate for rearmament. The pace at which Belgium translates the Strategic Vision into signed contracts will determine whether the headline numbers are politically real. ## What to watch - Whether Belgium's parliament approves each annual budget tranche of the Strategic Vision without cuts. - Whether the 3.5% of GDP commitment for 2035 survives changes of government before then. - Whether Belgium's third frigate order and F-35 additions are placed with contracts by end-2026. - Whether the EU's defence budget mechanism (SAFE, European Defence Fund) co-finances Belgian procurement under the Strategic Vision. ## Regional takes (batched by bias / lens) ### Governing coalition party press release; authoritative statement on the Strategic Vision 2026-2034 investment categories - **N-VA** (Europe, en) — The N-VA governing party confirmed the €34bn Strategic Vision for Belgian defence investment across 2026-2034, with major commitments including a third frigate, 1,500 combat vehicles, 2,100 logistical vehicles, F-35 additions, major air defence expansion, drones, electronic warfare, and cyber and space systems. Described Belgium as 'once again a reliable NATO partner.' > "Agreement on €34 billion defence investment: Belgium is once again a reliable NATO partner." Source: https://english.n-va.be/news/agreement-on-eu34-billion-defence-investment-belgium-is-once-again-a-reliable-nato-partner ### Belgian national news agency; first to confirm the 2% milestone on the day of announcement - **Belga News Agency** (Europe, en) — Reported that Belgium had met NATO's 2% of GDP defence spending target for 2025, the first time in its NATO membership history. Defence Minister Theo Francken (N-VA) confirmed the figure via social media and press statement. The 2025 defence budget was approximately €12.8 billion. > "Belgium meets NATO's 2% defence spending target for the first time, with a €12.8bn budget in 2025." Source: https://www.belganewsagency.eu/belgium-meets-natos-2-defence-spending-target ### Belgian public broadcaster; English-language confirmation of the milestone with trajectory data - **VRT NWS** (Europe, en) — Confirmed Belgium had reached 2% of GDP in 2025, up from 1% in 2020 and 1.27% in 2024. Contextualised the milestone as a political achievement for the De Wever coalition and noted Belgium's commitment to 2.5% by 2034 and 3.5% by 2035, in line with the NATO Hague Summit framework. > "Belgium meets NATO's 2% of GDP defence spending target, a first, up from 1% in 2020." Source: https://www.vrt.be/vrtnws/en/2026/03/27/belgium-meets-natos-2-of-gdp-defence-spending-target/ ### US strategic affairs magazine; interview with Defence Minister Francken contextualising Belgium's commitments and the Iran-Hormuz context - **Foreign Policy** (United States, en) — Francken interview covering Belgium's NATO commitments, his view of the Trump-Hegseth defence posture, and the implications of the Hormuz crisis for European energy security. Confirmed Belgium's stated 2% achievement and future trajectory. Noted Francken's view that European NATO members must make spending commitments credible through procurement, not just budget pledges. > "Belgian Defence Minister Francken on NATO, Hegseth, and the Hormuz crisis: Belgium's 2% is 'carved in marble.'" Source: https://foreignpolicy.com/2026/04/30/francken-belgium-iran-war-hegseth-trump-hormuz-nato/ ### US specialist press; detailed breakdown of the Strategic Vision procurement categories announced in 2025 - **Defense News** (United States, en) — Detailed Belgium's planned procurement categories under the Strategic Vision: additional F-35A fighters, new frigate, anti-air missile systems, 1,500 combat vehicles, extensive logistics fleet. Contextualised the spending trajectory as one of NATO's steepest catch-up paths, given Belgium's start from a 1% baseline. > "Belgium to add F-35s, spend billions on anti-air in defence catch-up under the €34bn Strategic Vision." Source: https://www.defensenews.com/global/europe/2025/07/21/belgium-to-add-f-35s-spend-billions-on-anti-air-in-defense-catch-up/ ### unlabelled - **Belga News Agency** (Europe, en) — Source: https://www.belganewsagency.eu/belgian-government-resigned-to-accept-natos-5-per-cent-defence-spending-goal ## Across the graph - Entities: Belgium, NATO Alliance --- Canonical: https://rbtfl.xyz/ja/n/belgium-nato-2pct-2026