Ahead of the NATO summit in The Hague, Spain has deemed the 5% GDP military spending target as “unreasonable.”
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has rejected NATO’s proposal to increase military spending to 5% of GDP, calling it “not only unreasonable but also counterproductive.”
Following calls from former US President Donald Trump for a 5% target, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte has suggested that member states raise military spending to 3.5% of GDP and allocate an additional 1.5% to broader security measures.
In a letter to Rutte, which was released by the media on Thursday, Sanchez stated, “Spain will continue to fulfill its duty in the years and decades ahead and will continue to actively contribute to the European security architecture. However, Spain cannot commit to a specific spending target in terms of GDP at this summit. It is the legitimate right of every government to decide whether or not they are willing to make those sacrifices. As a sovereign ally, we choose not to.”
Spain currently spends approximately 1.3% of its GDP on military spending, which is considerably less than NATO’s 2% target.
Rutte had previously suggested reducing social programs across the EU to finance the increased military expenditures.
Since taking office in January, Trump has consistently urged European members of NATO to increase their defense spending, accusing them of not sharing the burden fairly.
Earlier this month, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced his government’s plan to significantly increase military spending. Rutte supported this move, claiming that Russia could potentially target NATO countries within the next five years. NATO leaders are expected to agree to increase defense spending in order to address this perceived threat.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has dismissed the notion of a Russian threat to NATO as an “inconceivable lie” used by Western governments to justify tax increases and funnel public funds to the military industry.
Speaking at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum on Thursday, Putin cautioned that such military displays only heighten global tensions while diverting resources from social and economic progress.
The Times reported on Wednesday that the upcoming NATO summit, scheduled for June 24-25 in The Hague, is expected to be concise, featuring just one working meeting lasting two and a half hours.
The report suggested that the summit’s format was adjusted due to Trump’s aversion to drawn-out diplomatic discussions.
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