MADRID – Spain reaffirmed its commitment to NATO on Friday, following remarks by US President Donald Trump that the country could be expelled over its reluctance to meet defence spending targets.
The 32-member alliance agreed in June to massively increase defence spending to 5% of the GDP over the next decade, under pressure of the US president. But Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said Madrid would only raise its spending to 2.1%.
Trump needs to know “that Spain is one of NATO’s most serious and reliable allies,” Defence Minister Margarita Robles said on Friday.
She then listed several of Madrid’s current deployments: some 3,000 troops to defend the Alliance’s eastern flank, air force deployments in Lithuania, as well as maritime deployments.
The US president singled out Spain at a press conference on Thursday as the “laggard” among NATO members. “They have no excuse not to do this, but that’s all right. Maybe you should throw them out of NATO, frankly,” he told reporters.
Spain remains NATO’s lowest spender, with defence outlays at just 1.43% of GDP last year. By the end of this year, according to NATO estimates, the number will rise to 2%.
Sánchez told allies in June “2.1%, no more and no less,” saying it was sufficient to meet NATO capability targets. Madrid later claimed to have secured a concession from NATO chief Mark Rutte to apply the figure flexibly.
Domestically, Sánchez’s opposition has leaned into Trump’s remarks and criticised the prime minister.
Alberto Núñez Feijóo, leader of the conservative opposition, said that Spain wasn’t the problem, “the problem is Sánchez.”
“Our nation should not have to pay for his frivolity and irresponsibility,” he said. “Spain is a credible, proud and committed partner of NATO. And we will continue to be so.”
Sánchez’s defence discourse caught in the crossfire
MADRID – As Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez called in Copenhagen last week for Europe to…
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