Spain rejects NATO plans for 5% defence spending target

Spain is opposing NATO's plans to increase defence spending to 5% of gross domestic product (GDP), public broadcaster RTVE reported on Thursday.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez informed NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte of his country's opposition to the new target in a letter, according to reports from RTVE and other media outlets that have seen the letter.
The government in Madrid confirmed the report to dpa upon request.
Sánchez wrote that an increase in defence spending to a total of 5% of GDP by 2032, as proposed, was "not only unreasonable but even counterproductive" for his country.
Therefore, he said, Madrid would "not be able to commit to a specific spending target" at the NATO summit next week in The Hague.
The statement from Sánchez is not surprising.
At the end of May, Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares stressed during a visit from his German counterpart Johann Wadephul at a joint press conference that Spain was making greater efforts in the defence sector than ever before.
The existing NATO target of 2% of GDP was "realistic," he said.
Defence Minister Margarita Robles even described the NATO plans as a "big mistake."
"We believe that the process cannot consist of first setting a percentage and then determining the capabilities; it must be the other way around," she said.
With military expenditure of around 1.3% of GDP, Spain is among the lowest spenders on defence in the alliance.
However, in April, the left-wing government announced that it wanted to achieve the 2% target this year. Originally, this was planned for 2029.
Madrid intends to spend an additional €10.5 billion ($12 billion), about 50% more than previously planned.

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