Michal initially asked the leaders of the Baltics, Nordics, UK, and the Netherlands to reach this target before the 2025 NATO summit next summer.

However, in a statement issued by the government on Tuesday about the outcome of the two-day summit, the figure was watered down to "surpass the 2 percent of GDP benchmark."

At a press conference, he said an agreement on raising defense spending to "2.5 to 3 percent of GDP" remains Estonia's goal.

"Everybody described that they are increasing defense expenditure. So, this group here – one-third of NATO, [the] JEF group members – everybody is increasing their expenditure," he said in response to a question from "Aktuaalne kaamera". "We will go to the Hague summit together saying that defense expenditure and defense capabilities, interoperability between countries, should increase."

The 10 members recognize the "gravity" of the current security environment and the need to raise defense spending, the statement said.

However, leaders were divided on the need for a target figure. At a panel on Monday night, Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre said he would not push any country to raise defense spending. While Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson told reporters on Tuesday the 2.5 percent target was "too little."

Prime Minister Keir Starmer said the UK was still setting a pathway to raise the rate from 2.3 percent to 2.5 percent.

Asked if he was happy with the outcome of the summit, the Estonian prime minister stressed the importance of the agreement to "disrupt and deter" Russia's "shadow fleet" signed on Monday by the 10 members as well as Poland and Germany.

"So if you ask if I'm happy with that, then yes, I am happy with that. But no one in Estonia shows they are happy," he quipped to the media.

Michal also wanted members to agree to support Ukraine with 0.25 percent of GDP each year. This goal was also not agreed upon, but he said every member had a clear idea on how to further support Ukraine: "Everybody had a list."

Leaders also signed an agreement to endorse the core principles of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's Victory Plan and support its implementation.

The statement called on third countries, including North Korea, Iran, and China, to immediately cease all forms of direct support to Russia, including the provision of troops and ammunition.

The leaders pledged support for Ukraine's NATO membership path and to provide practical support and future cooperation. Military assistance to Ukraine from JEF countries is projected to exceed €12 billion in 2025, a statement from the government said.

The joint statement emphasized that Russia remains the most significant, direct, and long-term threat to the security, peace, and stability in the Euro-Atlantic area.

JEF is a 10-member defense and security framework that includes the U.K., the Netherlands, Latvia, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Iceland, Finland and Lithuania.

The U.K.-led framework is designed to be a first responder ahead of NATO. It comprises like-minded nations ready to contribute quickly and flexibly to various operations, from humanitarian crises to conventional warfare.

The summit brings leaders together to discuss cooperation within the framework and set new plans for adapting JEF activities to the evolving security landscape.

This year's event marks the 10th anniversary of the founding of JEF.

The summit took place in Tallinn on December 16 and 17.

This article was updated to add details and comments from the press conference.

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