Spain is bucking pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump to raise its defense spending to 5% of its national output. Instead, the country is sticking with its commitment to reach the 2% goal set by NATO. 🛡️
During a meeting in Brussels, Defense Minister Margarita Robles stated, "Many countries want five (percent), we respect that, but Spain will fulfill those objectives set for us." In response to U.S. threats of retracting security guarantees from members not meeting higher spending demands, Spain is focusing on achieving its current targets.
After ending 2024 as the NATO member with the smallest defense budget proportion, Spain now faces potential isolation at the upcoming summit in The Hague (June 24-25), especially as allies like Germany and Poland back the 5% benchmark.
Internal political pressures also weigh heavily. Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez is caught in a balancing act between aligning with NATO allies and addressing concerns from his far-left coalition partner Sumar, which opposes increased military spending. Experts such as defense specialist Felix Arteaga from the Elcano Royal Institute note that internal political reasons and delicate public finances—Spain’s debt stands at 103.5% of GDP—are influencing this cautious approach. ⚖️
Looking ahead, discussions at the NATO summit may pivot on the flexibility of how defense spending is defined. NATO chief Mark Rutte has suggested a model where 3.5% of GDP goes to traditional military spending by 2032, with an additional 1.5% allocated to broader security measures including border protection and cybersecurity. As details are ironed out, all eyes will be on how Spain navigates this tightrope between national priorities and alliance expectations.
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
