Nato’s proposed new defence spending target of 3.5% of GDP would require the Netherlands to increase its defence budget by between €16 billion and €19 billion a year, defence minister Ruben Brekelmans told parliament in a briefing.

The Netherlands currently spends around 2% of GDP on defence, or just over €22 billion a year.

Increased threats have led Nato to prepare more effectively for potential attacks and long-term conflicts, meaning “members will have to be able to utilise a large part of their armed forces quickly and to keep them in action,” the minister said.

Brekelmans said the Netherlands needs to invest in air defences, artillery and transport planes, and boost its armed forces headcount by between 17,000 and 18,000 full-time positions to meet the new Nato goals.

It is up to the cabinet to decide whether to meet the new target and Brekelmans stressed no decision has yet been taken.

Both the far-right PVV and pro-farmer BBB are known to be unenthusiastic about increasing defence spending. The centre-right NSC said on Tuesday it would support the target through a gradual increase.

The fourth coalition party, the right-wing liberal VVD, has already said it backs raising defence spending to 3.5% of GDP.

Nato chief Mark Rutte, a former Dutch prime minister for the VVD, floated the 3.5% target earlier this year.

The new goals will be discussed at the Nato summit in The Hague at the end of June.