Spain warns NATO it will not increase defense spending to 5% of GDP
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has informed NATO that his country will not commit to increasing defense spending to 5% of GDP.
This was reported by Censor.NET, citing Hromadske.
Sánchez described the 5% target proposal as "irrational and counterproductive" for Spain. According to him, meeting such a goal would require Spain — like other NATO countries — to raise taxes on the middle class, cut public services and social benefits, or reduce commitments to environmental protection and international development cooperation.
The Spanish prime minister stated that, based on military assessments, spending at the level of 2.1% of GDP would be sufficient in Spain’s case. As a "sovereign ally," he added, Spain advocates for a balanced approach — increasing defense spending while simultaneously addressing social, economic, and environmental challenges.
Therefore, Sánchez proposed that Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte develop a flexible formula that would allow countries willing to commit to the 5% target to do so, while exempting Spain from the requirement.
At the same time, the Spanish Prime Minister acknowledged that Russia poses an "existential threat" that cannot be ignored. He expressed support for a stronger NATO, backed by the "full commitment of the United States" and Europe.
Sánchez sent a letter to Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte ahead of the upcoming NATO summit in The Hague. The summit is expected to see allies commit to raising their defense spending to 5% of GDP by 2032.
