This afternoon begins in The Hague (Netherlands) the NATO Summit, which will be held in express format and It is marked by the resistance of Spain to assume the increase in defense expenditure up to 5% of GDP required by president of the United States, Donald Trump.
Although in the last hours, the general secretary of the Alliance, Mark Rutte, was convinced that Spain will have to spend more than he saysIn Moncloa they continue to refer to the Pact signed this weekend, convinced that it allows the Executive to follow their own sovereign military investment, while ensuring that the statements are agreed.
In this context, the president of the United States and hours before this summit begins, the president of the United States, Donald Trump, has been blunt when referring to our country: “Spain is a problem with regard to NATO spending.”
Trump thus shows his disagreement with the expenditure percentage announced by Spain. This Sunday, Sánchez announced solemnity that he had reached an agreement with NATO that granted him flexibility to follow his own spending path: he would sign the final declaration in which 5% appears but Spain would not be obliged to reach that volume of spending and would focus solely on meeting the capabilities objectives set by the alliance.
On Monday, from Hague, Routte made statements in which he said he was sure that Spain will have to spend 3.5% to achieve the military requirements asked for NATO. “Spain believes that these objectives can achieve with a percentage of 2.1%. NATO is absolutely convinced that Spain will have to spend 3.5% to achieve it,” he said.
Agenda at the NATO Summit
After presiding over the Council of Ministers on Tuesday in Madrid, Sánchez moves to the Netherlands together with the Foreign Minister, José Manuel Albares and the Defense head, Margarita Robles. The first act in which it will participate, at 8:00 p.m., is a dinner offered by the Kings, Alejandro and Máxima, for the heads of state and government at the Huis Ten Bosch Palace.
On Wednesday 25, the bulk of the summit will be held, with a single work session instead of three as usual, in which the general secretary, Mark Rutte, has decided to condense the issues on the table.
The fundamental and who has focused most efforts and negotiations is the commitment of the allies to increase defense spending (3.5%) and security (1.5%) over the next few years. An objective that Spain has unmarked.
Moncloa believes that Rutte does not contradict Sánchez
After these last words of Routte in Moncloa they show tranquility because they consider that it does not contradict Sánchez and are not novelty regarding the negotiations of recent days. They therefore reiterate that Spain will sign the final statement as agreed this weekend.
In that sense, government sources point out that the response of the Secretary General is agreed with Spain and insists that the declaration of leaders offers Spain flexibility to follow its own sovereign path to achieve the objectives and use the resources it deems appropriate in terms of GDP.
In Moncloa’s opinion, Rutte’s words transluce that they have only agreed the objectives set by NATO and that Spain has not committed to a certain percentage of expense, although there is a discrepancy about how much it is necessary to reach that goal. The Government reiterates that, according to the calculations of the national military authorities, 2.1% of GDP is enough.
Trump reproaches the refusal Sánchez to increase more defense spending
On the other hand, there is the unknown of how the position of Spain will receive and if, during the summit, Trump will reproach Sanchez’s refusive to reach 5%, a measure of which he is the main driver. In fact he has already made it with his statements before going up to the plane on the way to The Hague.
The background objective is to rebalance charges among allies. The United States has historically invested more than the rest in the military and Trump sphere wants European states to increase their contribution.
Last Friday, Trump has already said that Spain was “known to pay little” and considers that he has to contribute the same as the others while Moncloa, about whether the agreement has the approval of the White House, says that he has agreed with Routte, which is the highest authority of NATO.
