U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte briefed reporters on Thursday following a NATO Defense Ministerial meeting in Brussels. Before answering questions, Hegseth told NATO members that they must increase their defense spending from the current 2% of annual GDP.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth delivered opening remarks at the 26th meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group (UDCG) in Brussels on Wednesday, outlining the Trump administration’s approach to ending the war in Ukraine and emphasizing the need for European allies to take greater responsibility for their own security.

Two percent is a start, as President Trump has said, but it’s not enough, nor is 3%, nor is 4% — more like 5%,” the defense secretary said in a speech in Brussels.