Part 5/12:
NATO officials have confirmed, albeit anonymously, that financial support to Ukraine’s military will qualify as part of this 1.5% defense-related spending. This includes new purchases of military equipment specifically for Ukraine, investments in Ukrainian defense industries, and other direct contributions—so long as they involve new funding.
What is excluded from this accounting? Donations of existing weaponry and military hardware from NATO stockpiles, which had previously been counted as defense spending, are now deliberately left out to avoid "double counting." Similarly, non-military aid such as humanitarian support, infrastructure repairs, and economic assistance do not count toward the new defense spending targets.