Trump claims win as NATO agrees huge spending hike

NATO countries agreed Wednesday to massively ramp up their defense spending to satisfy US President Donald Trump, who hailed it as a "monumental win" for America -- and reaffirmed his country's commitment to protect its European allies.

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Trump cut a jubilant figure after NATO's 32 countries agreed to his headline target of five percent of GDP on defense spending following two days of talks in The Hague.

Taking credit for a "fantastic" outcome that "no one really thought possible", Trump described the spending hike as "a monumental win for the United States".

Trump also signed off on a final declaration confirming an "ironclad commitment" to NATO's collective defense pledge that an attack on one is an attack on all -- a reassuring move for European countries worried about Russia.

The US leader has repeatedly suggested Washington could withhold protection from European countries unwilling to spend more on defense.

The compromise hatched by NATO sees countries promise to dedicate 3.5 percent of GDP to core military spending by 2035, and a further 1.5 to broader security-related areas such as infrastructure.