Spain agrees with NATO to skip 5% defence spending target
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Diverging Reports Breakdown
Spain agrees with NATO to skip 5% defence spending target
Spain agreed with the NATO military alliance to be excluded from spending 5% of its gross domestic product on defence. Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said a 5% spending would be disproportionate and unnecessary.
“A 5% spending would be disproportionate and unnecessary,” Sanchez said in an address on national television.
“We fully respect the legitimate desire of other countries to increase their defence investment, but we are not going to do it,” he said, adding Spain could meet all its commitments to NATO, in terms of staff or equipment, by spending only 2.1% of its GDP.
Latvian president believes NATO will overcome obstacles, meet 5% goal
Latvian president believes NATO will overcome obstacles, meet 5% goal. Spain on Thursday asked to opt out of the plan to increase members’ defence spending to 5% of their gross domestic product. The move could derail next week’s NATO summit at the Hague. Latvia and fellow Baltic states Lithuania and Estonia are urgently ramping up their militaries, fearing that their neighbour and former overlord Russia could push on from its 2022 invasion of Ukraine to take more territory.
RIGA, – Latvia’s president expressed confidence NATO would agree to a new higher defence spending target demanded by U.S. President Donald Trump, despite Spanish objections, saying the alliance had little choice given the growing threat from Russia.
Spain on Thursday asked to opt out of the plan to increase members’ defence spending to 5% of their gross domestic product, as requested by Trump, a move which could derail next week’s NATO summit at the Hague.
Any agreement to raise defence spending needs unanimous approval by the 32 member states.
Latvian President Edgars Rinkevics told Reuters on Friday he understood why countries further from Russia might have difficulties convincing their voters to spend more on defence. But he said the need was pressing.
“I do hope there is the understanding in Madrid that this is a critical time for the Alliance, both when it comes to its defence capabilities, but also to the Trans-Atlantic relationship,” he said in an interview in Riga.
“I think that they don’t have much of a choice,” he added.
At an estimated 1.28% of GDP, Spain had the lowest proportion of expenditure on defence in the alliance last year, according to NATO estimates.
Latvia and fellow Baltic states Lithuania and Estonia are urgently ramping up their militaries, fearing that their neighbour and former overlord Russia could push on from its 2022 invasion of Ukraine to take more territory.
They spent more than 3% of GDP on defence this year, and have committed to top 5% for the next few years.
“We are saying that we need to spend as soon as possible now in order to avoid a worst-case scenario, spending much more later,” Rinkevics said.
“While Russia is stuck in Ukraine, that possibility of a direct military attack is not very high,” he said. “But it may change very, very quickly … if a development in Ukraine leads Russian leadership to believe that NATO is weak, that Ukraine is defeated, that NATO is divided”.
This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
Hundreds protest against NATO summit, Israel-Iran conflict in The Hague
NATO meeting will be held on Tuesday to discuss increased military spending in the shadow of Middle East conflict. Hundreds of people have protested in The Hague, in the Netherlands, against NATO and increased military Spending. The summit is expected to kick off on Tuesday, with leaders of the 32 NATO-allied countries to meet a day later on Wednesday. Almost a third of the members still do not meet the bloc’s current target of at least 2 percent defence spending.
Hundreds of people have protested in The Hague, in the Netherlands, against NATO and increased military spending in advance of a summit, as Iran’s conflict with Israel and the United States intensifies by the day.
People demonstrated on Sunday against the military alliance, Israel’s punishing war in Gaza and the Israel-Iran conflict, hours after the US targeted three nuclear sites in Iran in a sudden escalatory move in support of its biggest ally in the Middle East.
Hossein Hamadani, 74, an Iranian who lives in the Netherlands, told The Associated Press news agency that they are “opposed to war”. “People want to live a peaceful life … Things are not good. So why do we spend money on war?” he added.
Following the US’s attack on Iran, an unnamed NATO official told the Reuters news agency that the alliance was watching the situation “closely”.
The summit is expected to kick off on Tuesday, with leaders of the 32 NATO-allied countries to meet a day later on Wednesday.
During the meeting, the heads of state will discuss an increase in defence spending, which has been repeatedly demanded by US President Donald Trump, along with thinly veiled threats to leave the military alliance.
On Thursday, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez spoke out against the agreement to increase defence spending to 5 percent of national Gross Domestic Product (GDP) as not only “unreasonable but also counterproductive”.
In a letter to NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, Sanchez asked for a “more flexible formula” that either makes the spending target optional or excludes Spain from its application.
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But Trump said a day later that Madrid was “notorious” for underspending on defence and said it needed to pay what other NATO members were paying.
The allied countries have ramped up defence spending since Russia invaded Ukraine more than three years ago; however, almost a third of the members still do not meet the bloc’s current target of at least 2 percent defence spending.
NATO countries agree to increase defence spending to 5%
NATO countries agreed on a statement on Sunday for their upcoming summit that sets a goal of 5 per cent of GDP for annual defence and security-related spending by 2035. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez had blocked an earlier version of the text, saying that committing to a 5% target would be unreasonable and counterproductive. The statement has the green light from all 32 NATO members, diplomats said, but will only become official when it is approved by leaders including U.S. President Donald Trump.
NATO countries agreed on a statement on Sunday for their upcoming summit that sets a goal of 5 per cent of GDP for annual defence and security-related spending by 2035, overcoming objections from Spain, diplomats said.
The statement has the green light from all 32 NATO members, diplomats said, but will only become official when it is approved by leaders including U.S. President Donald Trump at their summit in The Hague on Wednesday.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez had blocked an earlier version of the text, saying that committing to a 5 per cent target would be unreasonable and counterproductive. Spain spent 1.24 per cent of GDP on defence in 2024, according to NATO estimates
Diplomats overcame Sanchez’s objections by adjusting the text on the spending pledge, changing the language from “we commit” to “allies commit,” diplomats said. That allowed Sanchez to claim the commitment would not apply to Spain.
“We fully respect the legitimate desire of other countries to increase their defence investment, but we are not going to do so,” Sanchez said in an address on Spanish television Sunday.
NATO operates by consensus so all of its 32 members have to approve a statement for it to be adopted.
NATO officials argue that big defence spending increases are needed to counter a growing threat from Russia and to allow Europe to take on more responsibility for its own security as the United States shifts its military focus to China.
The alliance’s current defence spending target is 2 per cent of GDP but Trump insisted it should rise to 5 per cent – although he suggested on Friday that target should not apply to the United States.
Under a plan by NATO boss Mark Rutte, countries would reach 5 per cent of GDP by boosting their core defence spending goal from 2 per cent to 3.5 per cent and spending a further 1.5 per cent on related items like adapting roads and bridges for military vehicles and cyber security.
Rutte had originally proposed countries meet the new target by 2032 but the deadline in the final text is 2035, according to diplomats. There will also be a review of the target in 2029.
Dutch leaders urge Spain to drop resistance to NATO’s 5% defense target
The Netherlands remains hopeful that Spain will drop its opposition to a proposed increase in NATO defense spending. All 32 member states prepare to meet in The Hague next week to reach a crucial agreement on raising the alliance’s defense budget target from 2 percent to 5 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) “I expect we’ll come to an agreement with Spain,” said outgoing Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof during a separate press conference ahead of the NATO summit. The alliance has been under growing pressure to bolster European self-defense amid escalating Russian threat and waning U.S. commitment to collective defense under President Donald Trump. Formal negotiations begin Wednesday at the heavily secured World Forum convention center, under the leadership of former Dutch PM Mark Rutte. The Netherlands is among the largest aid donors to Ukraine and one of the few to have supplied combat aircraft.
“I expect we’ll come to an agreement with Spain,” said outgoing Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof during a separate press conference ahead of the NATO summit. Schoof stressed the importance of NATO presenting a united front, calling the 5 percent target essential in light of what he described as the “real threat” posed by Russia, NOS reports.
Foreign Minister Caspar Veldkamp echoed that message. “I sincerely hope Spain is aware of the importance,” he said, revealing that Dutch diplomats are engaged in intense back-channel negotiations with Spanish counterparts. Veldkamp has also personally called his Spanish colleague. “I appealed to their sense of solidarity,” he added.
The summit’s chances of success reportedly took a hit Monday when Spain publicly declared it does not intend to commit to the 5 percent target. The Spanish government has voiced concerns that allocating billions of additional euros to defense would jeopardize its welfare state. Officials warned that taxes would have to rise significantly and that funding for public services could be severely impacted.
Under NATO rules, any new agreement on defense spending must be approved unanimously. If even one member state refuses to sign on, the proposal fails, and government leaders may leave The Hague without a deal.
Time is running out. In four days, leaders from all 32 NATO countries will arrive in The Hague. That evening, King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima will host a state dinner in their honor. Formal negotiations begin Wednesday at the heavily secured World Forum convention center, under the leadership of former Dutch Prime Minister Rutte.
Schoof described the upcoming gathering as a “historic moment” for NATO. The alliance has been under growing pressure to bolster European self-defense amid escalating Russian threat and waning U.S. commitment to collective defense under President Donald Trump.
Trump has been a vocal proponent of raising the NATO defense target to 5 percent of GDP. Rutte has previously said that 3.5 percent of that target should go toward direct military spending—such as artillery, air defense systems, and personnel—while the remaining 1.5 percent could be used for defense-related investments, including cybersecurity and infrastructure improvements to roads and bridges.
Schoof acknowledged Spain’s concerns about the financial burden. “It’s a lot of money, and it has to come from somewhere,” he said. “Security and peace are the foundation of our existence. And deterrence is in the interest of that security.”
Intensifying aid to Ukraine is another top priority for the Dutch government at the NATO summit, but outgoing Defense Minister Ruben Brekelmans (VVD) does not expect a large new aid package to be announced. Individual countries, however, will likely declare additional support, and the Netherlands will unveil new assistance.
He stressed the importance of NATO countries reaffirming their support for Ukraine, which continues to struggle on the battlefield as Russian forces gradually seize more Ukrainian territory.
Germany and other European countries are expected to announce new military aid. New U.S. deliveries are not anticipated. According to Brekelmans, the Washington government has made it clear it expects Europe to take the lead in supporting Kyiv. The U.S. will continue fulfilling already promised deliveries.
Brekelmans declined to detail the new support the Netherlands will announce. The country is among the largest aid donors to Ukraine and one of the few to have supplied combat aircraft.
NATO members are reportedly still negotiating whether to reaffirm their support for Ukraine in the summit’s closing declaration. The U.S. reportedly resists this, aiming to maintain its role as mediator between Russia and Ukraine and avoid antagonizing the Kremlin. Most other member states insist on a strong statement. Brekelmans emphasized the need “that we collectively reaffirm, in broad terms, that we will continue to support Ukraine.”