European NATO members said to weigh 3% defense spending target ahead of Trump’s return

European members of NATO are discussing raising the military alliance’s defense spending target to 3% of GDP from the current 2%, the Financial Times reported, citing four people involved in the preliminary talks. The discussions are said to be partly in anticipation of U.S. president-elect Donald Trump taking office in January.

The talks, which began last week and could face stiff opposition, involve a potential short-term pledge to reach 2.5% and then 3% by 2030. The increased commitments would be brought up at the annual summit in June in the Netherlands.

For now, 23 of the 32 NATO members are expected to reach the existing 2% target this year. But European countries like Belgium, Italy and Spain are failing to meet the commitment.

The discussions to raise the target began amid concerns that current spending levels may not be enough to support Ukraine. In addition, Trump has repeatedly criticized European countries for not meeting the agreed upon target. He recently said he would “absolutely” consider leaving NATO if members didn’t “pay their bills.”

A commitment to 3% of GDP would be a “good signal to the U.S. and to Trump,” a German official told FT. The U.S. spends an estimated 3.4% of its GDP on defense.