Nato weighs US demand to hike defence spending to 5%

Secretary-general Mark Rutte said more investment and military equipment was needed to deal with the threat posed by Russia and terrorism (Khalil Hamra/AP)

Nato foreign ministers were debating an American demand to massively ramp up defence investment to 5% of gross domestic product over the next seven years, as the US focuses on security challenges outside of Europe.

Speaking at talks in Antalya, Turkey, Nato secretary-general Mark Rutte said that more investment and military equipment was needed to deal with the threat posed by Russia and terrorism, but also by China which had become the focus of US concern.