LEADERS of Nato gathered in the Netherlands today for the start of a historic two-day summit that aims to unite the world’s biggest military alliance around a new spending pledge or widen divisions among the 32 allies.

The allies are likely to endorse a goal of spending 5 per cent of their gross domestic product on their security, to be able to fulfil the alliance’s plans for defending against outside attack.

But there is discontent among the allies.

Spain insists that the target is “unreasonable,” while Slovakia said it reserves the right to decide how to reach the target by Nato’s new 2035 deadline.

“We are not living in happy land after the Berlin Wall came down. We are living in much more dangerous times and there are enemies, adversaries who might want to attack us,” Nato secretary-general Mark Rutte said ahead of the summit in The Hague.

He said: “We have to make sure that we defend our beautiful way of life and systems and our values.”

Ahead of the two-day meeting, Britain, France and Germany committed to the 5 per cent goal. Host country, the Netherlands, is also onboard. Nations closer to the borders of Ukraine, Russia and its ally Belarus had previously pledged to do so.

“I think it’s going to be successful. We’ll see,” President Donald Trump said as he left the United States for the summit.

Mr Trump’s first appearance at Nato since returning to the White House has been overshadowed by his decision to strike three nuclear enrichment facilities in Iran, as well as the sudden announcement that Israel and Iran had reached a “complete and total ceasefire.”

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is attending the summit as he tries to win backing for continued military support to beat back Russia’s invasion.

Mr Rutte insisted that Ukraine remains a vital issue for Nato and that the allies can manage more than one conflict.