Czech Republic Ready to Discuss Higher Defence Spending, PM Says

The Czech Republic is prepared to discuss raising defense spending and 3% of gross domestic product may be a realistic level to reach within several years, Prime Minister Petr Fiala said on Wednesday.

The government said this week the NATO member country spent more than the NATO benchmark of 2% of GDP on defense last year for the first time in two decades, but incoming U.S. President Donald Trump has said NATO countries should spend 5%.

As of 2025, some NATO members like Italy, Canada, or Spain have not even reached the current 2% target, though the number of allies that do has risen to 24 last year.

According to NATO estimates, Poland spent the greatest portion of its GDP on defense (4.12%) in 2024, followed by Estonia (3.43%) and the U.S. (3.38%).

Last February, Trump sparked international outrage by saying he would urge Russia to do “whatever the hell they want” to NATO member countries failing to meet defense spending criteria, in a declaration indicating his disregard for the alliance’s collective defense principle.

Trump is not the only top official to call for an increase — NATO chief Mark Rutte likewise said last month that “we are going to need a lot more than two percent.”

Rutte also warned that European nations were not prepared for the threat of future war with Russia, calling on them to “turbocharge” their defense spending.

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