Skopje, 16 May 2025 (MIA) - In response to a reporter's question on whether the country, as a NATO member state, is ready to target 5% of GDP defence spending, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Timcho Mucunski said the issue was still a subject of discussion.  

"I attended the informal meeting of NATO member states in Antalya yesterday. The issue is still in the form of discussion. But my expectation is that the Alliance will build a consensus on this issue by the summit that is to be held in The Hague, and it is a call by our strategic partner the United States. A call that is also backed by Secretary General Rutte, and by most of our partners that are also EU member states," said Mucunski on Friday. 

He stressed that there was no dilemma because by reaching the minimum threshold of 2% of GDP, the country has shown it is ready for new challenges.  

"There are expectations that we will reach a consensus. All the initiatives led by the United States, and France, Germany, Rutte as Secretary General, we, as a responsible member of the Alliance, yes, we will support them," Mucunski said in response to reporters' questions at Friday's joint press conference with his Austrian counterpart Beate Meinl-Reisinger. 

Speaking at a press conference held together with European Council President António Costa on Thursday, Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski said in response to reporters' questions that Macedonian defence spending is higher than 2.5% of GDP although many other NATO countries' military expenditures are below the 2% threshold. "Macedonia has long had a defence budget above two percent. And with our projects to modernize our army and infrastructure, these expenses will grow," PM Mickoski said.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio in an interview with Fox News in Antalya on Thursday said that at the upcoming NATO summit in The Hague in June, all members will have agreed on a goal of reaching 5% over the next decade. "I can tell you that we are headed for a summit in six weeks in which virtually every member of NATO will be at or above 2%, but more importantly, many of them will be over 4% and all will have agreed on a goal of reaching 5% over the next decade," said the U.S. Secretary of State. 

The next NATO summit will be held on 24-26 June in the Netherlands. 

Photo: MIA archive