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Telegraph
10 hours ago
- Business
- Telegraph
Spain rejects Trump's Nato spending demands ahead of summit
Spain has rejected Donald Trump's 'unreasonable' demand that Nato members increase defence spending, throwing plans for a summit of alliance leaders into disarray. Next week's meeting in the Hague has been carefully designed to convince the US president to continue supporting Europe's defence. However, the refusal by Pedro Sánchez, the prime minister of Spain, to commit to a new defence spending target of 5 per cent of GDP has jeopardised the carefully choreographed diplomacy. Mr Trump has threatened to withdraw US protection from allies which don't commit to the new target, which has been raised from 2 per cent amid fears over Russian aggression. Mark Rutte, the Nato secretary general, has broad support for an increase in military spending to 3.5 per cent of GDP by 2030 and 1.5 per cent of investment in defence-adjacent areas such as transport infrastructure and cyber security. Mr Sánchez asked for Spain to be exempt from any spending target agreed next week or that the goal be made optional, even though Madrid has failed to meet even the original 2 per cent target. The letter from Europe's most influential Left-wing leader is a blow for Mr Rutte and could embolden the few other members reluctant to sign up to the 5 per cent. Germany and Poland are among the countries supporting the goal. Britain has committed to hit 2.5 per cent by 2027 but Sir Keir Starmer does not think the economy is strong enough to go above three per cent at this stage. In his letter, Mr Sánchez said hitting the target would only be possible by raising taxes on the middle class and cutting public services. The socialist premier said a 'rushed' effort to hit 5 per cent would damage economic growth and could force his government to slash net zero and development aid budgets. 'The empirical reality is that, for Spain, as for other Nato countries, reaching 5 per cent defence spending will be impossible unless it comes at the cost of increasing taxes on the middle class, cutting public services and social benefits for their citizens,' he wrote. He added that diverting money from education, technology and healthcare would cost the Spanish economy, as well as increase debt and inflation. In 2024, Spain spent just 1.28 per cent of GDP on defence, which has drawn criticism from the US president. Mr Sánchez claimed Spain was committed to the 2 per cent target but wanted the scope widened to include the fight against climate change and illegal migration. He has announced more than €10 billion of fresh defence investment to hit the 2 per cent target this year. But he faces a balancing act of aligning with Nato allies and cajoling his junior coalition partner, the far-Left alliance Sumar, which is hostile to increasing military spending. Mr Sánchez has taken swipes at Mr Trump and his political allies such as Javier Milei, the president of Argentina. Spain's formal recognition of Palestine and criticism of Israel will have won it no favours with the White House and neither will its liberal transgender rights laws. Mr Trump will be handed a one-page communiqué to sign off at the Nato leaders' summit in a concession to his short attention span and as part of an effort to head off a spending row between Europe and the US. Nato has cut back the 32-leader strong summit to just one working session of two and a half hours dedicated to the spending target. Strategic shortening of summit The meeting was originally meant to last three days, but shortening it will prevent Mr Trump from leaving early, as he did at the G7 meeting in Canada this week. Mr Trump's departure, ostensibly to respond to Israel's strikes on Iran, meant he missed talks with Volodymyr Zelensky, the Ukrainian president. Sources have claimed he left because he was angered Emmanuel Macron, the French president, had visited Greenland on his way to Canada. Mr Trump has said he wants to buy the Arctic Island, but Mr Macron declared that the Danish autonomous territory was 'not for sale'. Mr Zelensky has been invited to a dinner of Nato leaders on Tuesday night hosted by the King and Queen of the Netherlands, but will not take part in the summit. The US has ruled out future Nato membership for Ukraine. Russia and Ukraine said on Thursday that they had completed another exchange of captured soldiers, part of a deal reached earlier in June at peace talks in Istanbul. 'Our people are returning home from Russian captivity,' Mr Zelensky said on social media. Fighting between Iran and Israel could deflect global attention from the Russian invasion of Ukraine and even bolster the Kremlin's war effort, Ukrainian officials say. The conflict has pushed up the price of oil – a key revenue stream funding Russia's invasion. However, Kyiv has welcomed Israeli attacks on Iran, which has directly aided and provided weapons to Moscow for its own strikes on Ukraine.
The Guardian
11 hours ago
- Business
- The Guardian
Spain rejects Nato plan for member states to spend 5% of GDP on defence
Spain's prime minister, Pedro Sánchez, has rejected Nato's proposal for member states to increase their defence spending to 5% of their GDP, saying the idea would 'not only be unreasonable but also counterproductive'. Sánchez said that he was not seeking to complicate next week's Nato summit in The Hague, but he wanted there to be a 'more flexible formula' that would either make the target optional or allow Spain to opt out. The proposal – advanced by the Nato secretary general, Mark Rutte, in response to Donald Trump's demands for a 5% target – suggests member states agree to raise defence spending to 3.5% of their GDP and commit a further 1.5% to wider security spending. In a letter to Rutte that emerged on Thursday, Sánchez questioned the possible consequences of such a rise, saying it would be incompatible with Spain's welfare state and its vision of the world. 'Committing to a 5% target would not only be unreasonable but also counterproductive because it would move Spain further away from optimal spending and would hinder the EU's ongoing efforts to strengthen its security and defence ecosystem,' he said. 'It is the legitimate right of every government to decide whether or not they are willing to make those sacrifices. As a sovereign ally, we choose not to.' Spain currently lags well behind other western nations by dedicating only about 1.3% of its GDP to defence spending, well short of the current Nato target of 2%. It has suggested a target of 2.1%. Two months ago, Sánchez announced a €10.5bn (£9bn) 'industrial and technological plan for security and defence' to help Spain hit the 2% target by the end of the year, saying it had become obvious 'only Europe will know how to protect Europe' from now on. Asked for comment about Spain's request, a Nato official told Reuters: 'Discussions among allies on a new defence investment plan are ongoing.' Trump increased pressure on the alliance in January, saying the US had shouldered the global defence burden for too long and that he would ask all members to increase defence spending to 5% of GDP. Sign up to This is Europe The most pressing stories and debates for Europeans – from identity to economics to the environment after newsletter promotion Rutte has urged member states to use the threats from Washington as an incentive to take unilateral action on raising defence contributions. He said last month that the pressure was already paying off in countries such as Spain, Portugal, Belgium and Italy. 'I tell them that, well, now I am calling you to ask you to deliver the 2% by the summer, so that collectively we can move considerably north of the 2% because we have to spend much, much more,' he said in March.
BreakingNews.ie
13 hours ago
- Politics
- BreakingNews.ie
EU foreign affairs chief criticised over ‘clear lack of understanding of Ireland's history'
A vice-president of the European Commission has been criticised over a 'clear lack of understanding of Ireland's history', following a debate in the European Parliament. Kaja Kallas, the former Estonian prime minister who now serves as one of the vice-presidents of the Commission, singled out Ireland during a debate on the upcoming 2025 Nato summit in the Hague. Advertisement Ms Kallas said Ireland got to 'build up their prosperity' during peace after the second World War while countries behind the Iron Curtain experienced 'atrocities, mass deportations, suppressing your culture and language'. The remarks have been criticised as 'deeply inaccurate' by Sinn Féin MEP Kathleen Funchion, who said the vice-president was dismissive of the post-war experience of people on the island of Ireland. Ms Kallas address to the opening session focused on the 'direct threat to the European Union' posed by Russia, as she called for member states to act with Nato allies and increase defence spending. Ms Funchion noted the sovereign right of each member state to choose its own foreign policies and whether or not they participate in military alliances such as Nato – particularly emphasising Ireland's longstanding policy of military neutrality. Advertisement 'I hope each of you too recognises the sovereign right of my country, Ireland, to maintain its historical policy of neutrality. 'We in Ireland have a proud history and tradition of UN peacekeeping, and long may that continue.' Sinn Féin MEP Kathleen Funchion. Photo: Brian Lawless/PA She added: 'I feel it is important to reference the creeping militarisation into EU politics. 'This debate has been a combination of maddening and depressing for the past two hours, listening to the vast majority of speakers. Advertisement 'I would also remind people that, at its core, the EU is supposed to be a peace project and we should not move away from this.' In response, Ms Kallas warned that while Europe is a 'peace project', it 'only takes one to want war' 'We very clearly see right now the talks about the ceasefire that Russia doesn't want peace.' She added: 'I also want to address our Irish colleagues. Yes, peace doesn't mean that the human suffering will stop. Advertisement 'If you surrender, you have the aggressor, and you say, 'OK, take all what you want', then it doesn't mean that the human suffering will stop. 'Our experience behind the Iron Curtain after the Second World War, countries like Ireland got to build up their prosperity, but for us it meant atrocities, mass deportations, suppressing your culture and language. 'This is what happens. It is also peace, but it's actually not freedom. It's not freedom of choice for people, and that is what the European Union is all about, and that is what we are also fighting for.' In a statement, Ms Funchion said Ms Kallas' comments were 'ill-advised and deeply insensitive to the experiences of Irish communities still seeking justice to this day'. Advertisement 'Ireland too endured atrocities, from the Ballymurphy massacre to Bloody Sunday, where innocent civilians were shot and killed by British soldiers. 'Our people suffered internment without trial, and widespread discrimination in housing and employment, particularly in the North. 'Furthermore, the suppression of Irish language and culture has been an ongoing battle, as evidenced by the decades-long campaign for an Irish Language Act in the North. She added: 'I have written to the vice-president asking her to withdraw her remarks and to acknowledge the reality of Ireland's past. 'I would also like to welcome Leas-Uachtaran Kallas to Ireland to meet with campaigners, victims, and families affected by legacy issues. A visit like this would offer her a valuable insight into the historical injustices many are still fighting to address.' Ms Kallas' office has been contacted for comment.
STV News
a day ago
- Science
- STV News
Call for paddleboarders and kayakers to act 'responsibly' around marine mammals
Scientists have appealed to paddleboarders and kayakers to enjoy Scotland's waters 'responsibly', after a third of marine mammal disturbances observed in a study were found to be caused by unmotorised craft. Researchers led by Heriot-Watt University carried out 400 hours of observations across five Scottish marine regions, looking at what happened when vessels were present at the same time as marine mammals such as whales, dolphins and seals. The study, which covered the Clyde, Forth and Tay, Moray Firth, Orkney Islands and Shetland Islands areas, documented hundreds of interactions between vessels and marine mammals, many of which occurred in sensitive or protected areas. Dr Emily Hague, from Heriot-Watt University, explained that a third of all observed disturbances were caused by 'non-motorised craft like kayaks, paddleboards and rowboats'. She explained: 'In one case, seals resting on a beach became visibly agitated as kayaks passed by, beginning to move around and then many left the haul-out site and slid into the water, a clear disruption of their resting behaviour. 'Signs of stress aren't always dramatic or obvious; it can be more subtle, such as a change in breathing rate, swimming direction or their diving behaviour.' Another third of the disturbances were caused by small motorboats, with the researchers saying that in one case they saw a speedboat 'repeatedly pursue' bottlenose dolphins, which changed direction and lengthened their dives, regrouping only after the boat left. The scientists added that many small motorboats do not carry automatic identification system tracking, meaning their presence and behaviour are 'effectively invisible' to regulators and conservation authorities. Disturbances caused by kayaks and paddleboards were recorded in the Clyde, Forth and Tay and Moray Firth areas, while powered vessel disturbances, including those from speedboats and RIBs (rigid inflatable boats), occurred in all five areas. Dr Hague explained that the land-based sightings were 'opportunistic', reflecting 'what happened to be observed, not necessarily how often disturbances occur'. She added: 'Just because no incidents involving kayaks were recorded in Orkney or Shetland doesn't mean they don't happen.' The scientist appealed to all water users to follow the Scottish Marine Wildlife Watching Code in order to minimise their impact on marine mammals. 'The truth is that all of Scotland's coastline is important habitat for marine mammals,' she said. 'Whether you're paddling off the coast of Fife or sailing around Skye, you're likely sharing the water with sensitive species. 'We want people to enjoy Scotland's waters, but to do so responsibly by keeping up to date on how best to respond should you spot marine wildlife. 'Kayakers, paddleboarders, surfers, recreational boaters and everyone else in the water should follow the Scottish Marine Wildlife Watching Code, which offers clear advice on how to minimise your impact on marine mammals. 'With a little more awareness and a few small changes, we can all help ensure that sharing the sea doesn't come at a cost to the animals that call it home.' The research, which was conducted with the support of the Whale and Dolphin Conservation, forms part of the Scottish Vessel Project, led by Heriot-Watt University. The project aims to capture marine vessel data around Scotland's coastline to better understand the amount of exposure to boats that whales, dolphins and seals experience at different locations. Get all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
CTV News
2 days ago
- Health
- CTV News
Dutch government recommends children under 15 stay off TikTok and Instagram
The TikTok app logo is shown on an iPhone on Friday, Jan. 17, 2025, in Houston. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis, File) THE HAGUE, Netherlands — The Dutch government advised parents on Tuesday not to have children under 15 use social media platforms such as TikTok and Instagram, citing psychological and physical problems among children using them, including panic attacks, depression and difficulties sleeping. The Ministry of Health also encouraged parents to limit how long their children spend using electronic devices, keep phones and laptops out of bedrooms, and have 20 minutes of screentime followed by two hours of outside play. The advisory 'gives children the time to further develop digital resilience and media literacy,' Vincent Karremans, caretaker deputy minister for youth and sport, said in a letter to parliament. Karremans is one of several ministers who remained on after the Dutch government collapsed earlier this month pending October elections. Both TikTok and Instagram require users to be at least 13 years of age. The guidelines, which are not legally binding, distinguish between 'social media' sites like TikTok and Instagram and 'social interaction platforms' such as messaging services WhatsApp and Signal. The social media sites have 'significantly more additive design features' that have a negative impact on children, the government said. Children can use the messaging services from age 13, the year most Dutch children start secondary school, according to the recommendations. Last year, Australia became the first country in the world to ban children under 16 from using social media. Denmark and France are considering similar legislation and Sweden issued recommendations about limiting screentime for kids last year. A group of experts, put together at the request of the Dutch parliament, found that intense screentime and social media usage can result in physical and psychological problems in children. Dutch schools have banned students from using tablets, cellphones and smart watches, with some exceptions, such as classes on media literacy. In May, some 1,400 doctors and child welfare experts in the Netherlands signed a public letter, calling on the government to ban children under 14 from having cellphones and restricting social media usage until age 16. In February, Dutch Queen Máxima said that her youngest daughter, Princess Ariane, had eyesight problems from spending too much time on mobile devices. Molly Quell, The Associated Press
