'Unreasonable, counterproductive': Spain's Sánchez rejects push to increase Nato defence spending to 5%

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has told Nato Secretary General Mark Rutte that the proposed increase in the alliance’s defence spending target to 5% of GDP would be “not only unreasonable, but also counterproductive,” according to a report.

According to The Guardian report, citing Spanish newspaper El País, in a letter responding to Rutte’s proposals for next week’s Nato summit in the Hague, Sánchez declared his opposition for the proposed change arguing “it is not necessary to fulfil our commitments to the alliance.”

Sánchez reportedly argued that the proposed 5% GDP defence spending target “has nothing to do with the level of commitment to collective defence,” asserting that Spain remains confident in its ability to meet Nato obligations with lower spending levels.

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He warned that adopting such a target would negatively impact the Spanish economy, potentially requiring tax hikes, cuts to public services, and delays in the country’s green transition plans.

“We choose not to make those sacrifices,” The Guardian quoted  Sánchez to have told Nato Rutte.

According to the report, the new Nato defence spending goal had been expected to pass unanimously, but Spain’s opposition could now prompt further discussions among member states.

A Spanish government source told El País that while Madrid does not intend to “veto anything” for other countries, it wants to be clear that it “can’t commit to it.”

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Spain’s national broadcaster RTVE also reported on Sánchez’s stance.

The latest Nato data shows Spain’s defence spending at just 1.3% of GDP — the lowest among all alliance members.

In April, the Spanish government announced tentative plans to raise that figure to 2%.

With inputs from agencies