Pedro Sánchez torpedoes Nato unity on eve of crucial summit

16 comments

1. Spain’s opt-out from a Nato pledge for members to spend 5 per cent of GDP on defence has blown up efforts to show unity ahead of a leaders’ summit that was aimed at placating US President Donald Trump.

   Poland on Monday warned that Spain’s special treatment was “unjustified” and “detrimental to the unity of the alliance”, while Belgium said it planned to request equal treatment — increasing the likelihood for the gathering starting on Tuesday in The Hague to descend into acrimony.

   Polish defence minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz, who is also deputy prime minister, told the Financial Times that “any derogation for Spain is unjustified”.

   “All states should jointly bear the burden on the alliance,” the Polish minister said, adding: “Making any exceptions is detrimental to the unity of the alliance and I am in favour of reaching 5 per cent as soon as possible.”

   Officials from other Nato countries also said Sánchez’s exemption threatened to derail the summit given that other countries could request similar treatment.

   Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever will raise the issue at the summit, said a person familiar with the matter. A spokesperson for De Wever said: “The position of Belgium is that the Nato countries have agreed on a text that applies equally to everyone.”

2. On one hand – I get Spain’s position. Russia would have to go through Poland *and* Germany *and* France to get to them by land. Even the most ardent Putinophile and believer in Russian military supremacy would have a difficult time explaining this one.

   On the other hand – this is like NY saying they don’t feel like paying for CA’s defense since China would have to go through AZ and TX and a whole slew of other States.

   So either NATO is a military alliance with a set goal – Russia deterrence – or it’s nothing. If you don’t believe Russia is a problem – looking at Hungary, Slovakia, Spain, Portugal – then you don’t get to be part of this alliance. Maybe NATO helps you, maybe it doesn’t.

   This current state of affairs makes no sense. If Europe can’t be united here, then they’re justifying the “US needs to leave NATO” POV.

   It’s absolutely insane to expect US soldiers to bleed against Russia while Spanish ones enjoy siesta.

3. I think 5% is a little too much, but if all members are in agreement BUT Spain, they should just suck it up. If this alliance is as important as Europe says it is, and Russia is that much of a threat, then paying a bit more for defense seems like a worthy sacrifice

4. Spain being that one guy at the table in the restaurant who’s kicking off about splitting the bill, when everyone else just wants an easy life and to get along.

5. Can a country be removed from NATO? Is there even a process for that?

6. I think 3.5% for tangible defense related goals, and 1.5% infrastructure and cybersecurity isnt that odd is it? 

   Europe could focus on buying European as much as possible to build up the their own industry, and frankly they need it. Its not cheap to open up new production capacity, building up a domestic supply chain, and create the whole ecosystem needed to sustain a military and militaty industrial capability needed to deter Russia.

    We arent just talking about some extra missiles and jets here, because Europe can always buy that from the US (and Europe have good reason not to do that again), this time entire industry will need to be (re)created. 

   Rheinmetall and SAAB and Eutelsat ain gonna invest billions into expansion if they dont see that there is enough lucrative business oppoturnities coming their way. 

7. Raise the membership fees of Spain to offset their lack of commitment.

8. The Spanish government is simply pathetic.

9. We’re talking about 3.5% GDP in direct defense spending and 1.5% in indirect.

   For Spain this would be $56,700,000,000 in direct defense expenditure. Spain currently spends about 1.28% or $21B USD.

   NATO members are increasing their budgets but they have a long way to go. Canada is still at 1.3% and so is Belgium.

   Luxembourg contributes more by GDP than Spain – at 1.29%

   Nobody is expecting NATO members to spend $900B like the U.S. But some countries are just not spending enough to even protect themselves while also feeling entitled to engage in international security activities as if they were a peer and pass the bill to “allies”.

   Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Member_states_of_NATO Member states of NATO – Wikipedia

10. Is anyone surprised. The Western European strategy has always been to use the East as human shields until the US arrives. Spain is just trying to desperately cling onto that past. Why fight for your allies when there’s more than enough polish or Baltic blood and American steel to protect you, that thinking has been the norm for awhile now.

11. Does anyone seriously believe that any of these countries will get to 5%? I think the intent to light a fire under these countries to get up their spending. This is aspirational. Lets just be happy that everyone, including Spain, is finally taking defense seriously.

12. What happens when all these countries have larger military capabilities, and Russia turns out to not be a threat. Will they see each other as nails for their new hammers? 

13. So, the US will be okay spending almost $1.5T on defense?

14. On standing together, or being realistic?

15. people here are delusional. Increasing NATO spending to 5% (adjusted by PPP without taking into consideration the US) would be increasing the current budget by 1.5 times the current US defense amount

    It is nonsensical. Russia doesn’t justify any amount of that money. It is only justifiable if the long-term plan is to not have the US in NATO

    Russia is already outnumbered by European (so not even counting Turkey into this) fighter jets by 2 / 5. It is nonsensical

16. Yeah this isn’t suprising at all. The reality is that Europe when it comes to Russia wants to have it’s cake and eat it to. They insist that someone has to stop the war in Ukraine, yet none of them dare make a military move, hell they don’t even try to hide the fact the constantly go around their own sanctions. All of them still buy Russian gas rebranded from India. Really this is just another in a series of moments that shows Europes fall from relvance in the world order.

    All that being said, I think Trump and the Republican party misunderstand the point of NATO which is to exert soft power over Europe and contain Russian influence. The Republicans and Trump have very poor diplomatic skills and are totally inept when it comes to soft power moves. I agree Europe needs to do more to defend itself and not look to America to babysit them, but the way they have gone about this has very publicly exsposed cracks in NATO. Then again if Trump is a Russian agent that may have been the whole point.

Comments are closed.