The 32 NATO countries agreed to dedicate 5% of their Gross Domestic Product (GDP) to their defense, a few days before an alliance summit in The Hague, diplomats said in Brussels on Sunday. However, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez sowed doubts from Madrid by stating that this agreement would allow Spain to be exempt from reaching this threshold of 5%.
The NATO negotiators had put on the table this weekend a latest version of an agreement to drastically increase the military and security expenses of the alliance, after the objections issued by Madrid. It was considered that this agreement was accepted if no one had opposed before 5.30 pm, which was the case, several diplomats said. The agreement establishes to bring 3.5% of the military expenditure of GDP Stricto sensu and 1.5% of those related to the broad sense. Madrid, however, obtained that the period to achieve this goal of 5% was from 2032 to 2035, which Pedro Sánchez did not mention in his speech, according to these diplomats in Brussels. The latter has not confirmed an exemption on Spain in terms of expenses.
A Donald Trump requirement
The commitment demolished on Sunday would clear the way for an agreement in The Hague next Tuesday and Wednesday, and would represent a diplomatic victory for the president of the United States, Donald Trump. The latter, since his return to the White House, has not stopped claiming European allies and Canada, who spend much more, demanding a level of 5% of his GDP, failing that he threatened to not defend them. Spain had announced its opposition for this drastic increase on Thursday, believing that it was not justified.
Then negotiations were carried out to try to find an acceptable commitment for Spain.
Source: BFM TV
