NATO Summit 2025: Leaders pledge major defense boost as Zelenskyy watches from sidelines

At The Hague gathering, NATO commits to ramped-up spending on air defenses and rapid reinforcements while Ukraine’s president secures bilateral aid pledges

The Hague: NATO leaders meeting on Wednesday agreed to a major boost in defense spending to counter Russia’s military buildup and its ongoing invasion of Ukraine, while Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy looked on from the sidelines.

Driven by concerns over Moscow’s aggression, the alliance committed to enhancing collective defense capabilities, including advanced air defenses and rapid reinforcement plans.
Zelenskyy, whose country has been at war with Russia since the illegal 2022 invasion, was not seated at the leaders’ table. Instead, he spent the summit venue shuttling between bilateral talks to keep Ukraine at the forefront of NATO’s agenda.

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Among his meetings was one with former U.S. President Donald Trump, who quipped to reporters, “He’s got a little difficulty, Zelenskyy. He’s a nice guy. I mean, I’m going to meet him today. I don’t know, I assume we’re going to be discussing Ukraine.” Trump’s administration had previously blocked Ukraine’s bid to join the alliance.

The conflict has devastated Ukrainian towns and killed thousands of civilians. Just last week, Russia launched one of the largest drone attacks of the war on Kyiv. Russian officials have been accused of war crimes, including targeting civilian infrastructure, and the International Criminal Court has issued an arrest warrant for President Vladimir Putin on charges related to the abduction of Ukrainian children, which Putin denies.

Summit host the Netherlands pledged military aid to Ukraine, including new drones and radars designed to intercept Russian strikes. The U.K. announced it would supply 350 air-defense missiles funded by £70 million ($95 million) raised from interest on seized Russian assets.

On Tuesday evening, Zelenskyy dined at King Willem-Alexander’s Huis Ten Bosch palace alongside NATO leaders. He and Trump sat at separate tables: Zelenskyy with Queen Máxima, Trump with the king.

Later Wednesday, Zelenskyy was set to travel to France to finalize plans for an international tribunal aimed at prosecuting senior Russian officials for the initial crime of aggression and subsequent atrocities committed during the invasion.