The proposal of Increase defense spendingwhich supported the twenty -seven and with which he has committed Pedro Sánchezhas encountered the frontal rejection of partners such as IU, a call to “common sense” by adding and the demand of the PP to know the details and that has the support of the entire Executive.
In this way, the different political forces have been pronounced to the commitment made in Brussels all the leaders of the Union for the increase in European military spending, mobilizing up to 800,000 million euros, at a time when The United States distance from the EU and changes its strategy in Ukraine.
And specifically, in Spain, what the president of the Government has put on the table is the commitment to make a effort to reach 2 % of GDP in defense spending before 2029the initial date established, although without specifying anything else, and so it will be transferred to all the political leaders next week, except for Vox.
The leader of the PP, Alberto Núñez Feijóohas already received the call from Moncloa to quote the meeting next Thursday with the head of the Government to deal with Ukraine and the expense in defense, but has asked the president to detail in writing what he wants to talk. “We are requesting a detailed, prior and written report, that provides a minimum of light what you want to talk about”, what are the resources that you will dispose of and with what supports it has to make the proposal, said Feijóo.
Of all the government members who have spoken this Friday about the approach of Sánchez who has clearly stated against IU in Congress, Enrique Santiagowhich has even considered “ridiculous” that the EU wants to enrich the multinationals of weapons of the United States, a country that is threatening its traditional partners, such as Europe or Canada, and has already urged to end the war in Ukraine.
According to this spokesman, this is the feel like addingExecutive partner, although the Minister of Social Rights, Pablo Bustinduyor by far with that roundness has not been expressed since it has insisted that the rearmament “does not seem the best way to advance in the coordination of a European defense” and has opted for “common sense” to address the increase in military spending. Therefore, he said that it is a mistake to confuse this debate “with a merely numerical issue that has to do with military spending and its increase”, since the first thing is “to know what capacities are available and which ones are needed to develop in defense.”
In addition to Feijóo, on the part of the Popular Party has spoken its spokesman in Congress, Miguel Telladowho wants Sanchez to go to these meetings with a proposal “of the entire government” venturing the fissures that this issue will generate within the coalition executive, although, in any case, he has recognized that the PP considers that Spain must fulfill its international commitments.
He recalled that it is a commitment that was acquired in 2014, at the Summit of Wales, and that Pedro Sánchez ratified in 2022 at the NATO Summit in Madrid, against which he protested part of his own government. In fact, even the second vice president and leader of adding within the Executive, Yolanda Díazshowed his concern in his day for that commitment to reach 2 % of GDP in the military budget and requested the urgent call of the Government Pact monitoring.
After yesterday Sanchez communicated his intention to accelerate the deadlines, from the Government, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, EU and Cooperation, José Manuel Albareshas pointed out that if the EU approves to increase military spending, it is to raise “a deterrent response” to Russia and does not represent “an aggressive action.”
“Europe’s countries expressed their commitment to Unit and Independence of Ukrainewith his defense against an aggression that is unfair, unjustifiable and that threatens us all, “added the Minister of Foreign Affairs.
Keys of the Agreement in Brussels on military spending
Multimillionaire investments
The idea of exponentially increasing the EU defense spending had for a long time great defenders in countries that share border with Russia -The Nordics and the partners of the East-, and supporters in several cases, such as Poland, to raise national investment in that area above the 2 % threshold of GDP required by NATO.
That debate has precipitated with the drastic US posture change over Ukraine From the return to power of Donald Trumpwhich has led the president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, to write a plan to allocate up to 800,000 million euros when the continent reload, since the leaders would exceed historical reluctance to make community rules make the community rules regarding deficit and debt.
That project, revealed on Tuesday, includes a New credit instrument of 150,000 milliona tool that would be financed with joint debt emissions and that the Commission must define more concretely in the next two weeks, before a new summit planned for March 20 and 21.
The plan also proposes to let the Member States Regional European funds reorient to safety and defensein addition to using the financing of the European Investment Bank (BEI) For this item.
White Book for EU Defense
The EU’s rearmament plan received a “very positive” response for all leaders, although they asked Von der Leyen that collects other “options” in the White Book for Defense that will also reveal this month and that the capitals will discuss without “taboos”. Some of the areas that leaders consider “priority” are that of Air and Ballistics Defense, Artillery Systems, Missile and Amar, Drones and Drones Systems.
They have also placed emphasis on the Space technology and critical infrastructure protection, Military Mobility, Cybersecurity, Artificial Intelligence and Electronic War.
Master lines about Ukraine … without Hungary
Despite the unanimous agreement on defense spending, the community position on the situation in Ukraine and its immediate future was truncated by the usual unchecking of Hungary, related to Trump’s position. Without being able to have Budapest, the remaining twenty -six countries signed a statement that marks the red lines for future peace conversations, insists on the inclusion of kyiv to the Union and promises military help to the Ukrainian army to combat Russian aggression.
The text backed emphasizes that any truce “can only take place as part of the process that leads to an integral peace agreement”, with Safety guarantees robust and credible that are deterrent to a new Russian aggression in the future.
Also, the EU reaffirms her political, financial, economic, humanitarian, military and diplomatic commitment with Ukraineand explain your willingness to contribute more to security guarantees based on their respective competences and capacities.
A coalition beyond the EU?
The opposition of Hungarian Prime Minister, Viktor Orbánand the reluctance of his slovaco counterpart, Robert FicoThey made it clear that the response to the United States’s turn on Ukraine will not necessarily arise from the EU in a strict sense.
Leaders such as Czech Prime Minister, the conservative Petr Fialathey mentioned at the summit the possibility of resorting to “other formats (outside the EU) where they realize the risk of Russian aggression”, to accelerate the delivery of military aid to Ukraine.
The United Kingdom, whose prime minister, Keir Starmerhe organized an emergency summit last Sunday after the confrontation between Trump and Volodimir Zelenski, seems like a key ally for that coalition and in which Canada and Norway could also enter.
