Gathered Thursday at the headquarters of the alliance in Brussels, the defense ministers of the 32 allied countries confirmed their commitment to strengthening their respective armed forces and to investing in new military equipment to ensure the continent's defense in the face of the Russian threat.

Most U.S. allies at NATO endorse President Donald Trump’s demand that they invest 5% of gross domestic product on their defense needs and are ready to ramp up security spending even more, NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte said Thursday.

NATO defense ministers are proposing a 5% annual investment in defense spending by member nations to enhance defensive capabilities during a meeting in Brussels on Thursday.