Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has strongly opposed NATO’s push for a significant increase in defense spending, calling the proposal both “unreasonable” and “counterproductive.” The suggestion, originally backed by US President Donald Trump and later echoed by NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, urged member states to allocate 5% of their GDP toward military and security efforts.
In a letter addressed to Rutte, which was made public on Thursday, Sanchez made it clear that Spain would not be committing to the proposed target at the upcoming NATO summit in The Hague.
“Spain remains committed to European and transatlantic security, and we will continue playing our part in the years ahead,” Sanchez wrote. “But it is up to each sovereign government to decide if such sacrifices are acceptable. In our case, we choose not to set such a benchmark.”
Spain currently devotes around 1.3% of its GDP to defense—far below NATO’s longstanding 2% benchmark, let alone the new 5% target. The new goal includes a 3.5% allocation for defense and an additional 1.5% for broader security-related spending.
Rutte has previously suggested that NATO members may need to reduce domestic social spending in order to meet the proposed defense increases. Trump, since returning to office, has been increasingly vocal in criticizing European nations for what he views as insufficient defense contributions, demanding that they “pay their fair share.”
Meanwhile, the UK has already moved toward increased military investment. Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s new government recently announced plans for higher defense spending, receiving strong support from Rutte, who warned that Russia could pose a serious threat to NATO within five years.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has dismissed such warnings as baseless, accusing Western leaders of using fear to justify diverting public funds into the military-industrial sector. Speaking at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, Putin called NATO’s messaging a “fabricated threat” and warned that militarization would only worsen international tensions while undermining social and economic stability.
The upcoming NATO summit, scheduled for June 24–25 in The Hague, is expected to be unusually short, with reports indicating only one working session lasting about two and a half hours. According to The Times, the format was shortened to accommodate Trump’s reported aversion to lengthy diplomatic meetings.
