Pakistan, June 12 -- NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said he is confident about a deal on defence spending. He spoke during a meeting with European allies in Rome. The talks focused on boosting support for Ukraine amid rising Russian attacks. The meeting included diplomats from Italy, France, Germany, Britain, Poland, Spain, Ukraine, and the EU.

Rutte urged NATO members to commit to spending 3.5 percent of GDP on direct military costs by 2032. He also proposed an extra 1.5 percent for broader security expenses. This plan aims to meet US President Donald Trump's demand for 5 percent defence spending. The final decisions will be made at a NATO summit in The Hague later this month.

The Rome meeting came before a G7 summit in Canada, wher...