“A 5% spending would be disproportionate and unnecessary,” Sanchez stated during a national television address.
Spain has reached an agreement with NATO to opt out of the alliance’s proposed target of spending 5% of gross domestic product (GDP) on defence, Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez announced on Sunday.
“A 5% spending would be disproportionate and unnecessary,” Sanchez stated during a national television address. He affirmed that Spain would continue to meet its NATO obligations, saying, “We fully respect the legitimate desire of other countries to increase their defence investment, but we are not going to do it.”
Sanchez said Spain could fulfill its NATO commitments through a 2.1% GDP investment in staff and equipment. The 32 NATO members had earlier agreed on a 5% defence goal by 2035, despite Spain’s objection.
A letter from Sanchez to NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte last Thursday expressed Spain’s intention to opt out, raising concerns it could derail the summit. Spain had the alliance’s lowest defence spending last year, at an estimated 1.28% of GDP.