The European Union complies with President Donald Trump's requests and has started to push certain Member States to increase their defense budgets.
Saturday, the European Defense Commissioner called on Spain to raise his defense expenses at 3% of its gross domestic product (GDP).
According to Trump's wishes, NATO members, including the whole European Union, are expected to increase their objective of defense expenditure greater than 2% of national production. He even called on NATO members to increase their defense expenses up to 5% of their GDP.
Spain spent only 1.3% of its GDP in defense in 2024
European Defense Commissioner Andrius Kubilius told the newspaper El Pais that Spain should spend at least 3% of his GDP in defense to avoid the Russian threat to Europe.
He said the Spanish government should “find a way to increase defense spending in the near future.”
Spain's defense expenses in 2024 represented 1.3% of its GDP, the lowest all NATO members spent that year. Spain, however, has promised that it would reach the target expenses of NATO defense at 2% of GDP this year, an objective that it had initially set for 2029. The target change, however, has made the alarm, in particular for the distant Sumar Party on the left, the junior partner with the socialists of the government of the Coalition of Spain who do not agree with the idea.
Nevertheless, Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said an investment plan of 10.5 billion euros last month to ensure that the country fulfills its expenditure obligations. He said the plan would focus on telecommunications, cybersecurity and the acquisition of military equipment. He explained that he had seen the need for Spain to increase his defense budget, especially since the opponents of Europe extend their arsenal to more than missiles.
Inspired by the Ukraine War, he stressed that their “enemies” used unmanned drones and paramilitary groups to disturb the supply chains, separate gas pipelines and damage the submarine cables. They would also have armed social media platforms to spread propaganda and disinformation and launched cyber attacks focused on AI on Ukraine.
He added: “In a world dominated by uncertainty, Europe is hope, and it is certainty – and that certainty must be protected by strengthening our security and defense systems because, taking into account what is happening, it is obvious that only Europe will be able to protect Europe. And Spain will help protect Europe.”
In addition, he also argued that they would be with Ukraine and that his country would fulfill his obligations to ensure the security and security of Europe. He even claimed that his investment plan and the increase in defense expenses would not be upset; There would be no increase in the increase in taxes or deficit due to it.
The Sumar party, however, is still opposed to the plan, calling it “inconsistent” and “absolutely exorbitant”.
Donald Trump asked NATO allies to increase their defense budgets
Barely a month after Trump took office, he began to pressure his NATO allies to increase its defense budgets, saying that the United States had been left to the most of the defense burden for too long. He urged NATO members to increase their defense expenses to 5% of their GDP.
Responding to Trump's request, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte encouraged other Member States to increase their defense expenses. He called them to reach the lens of 2% by summer before being able to take a higher target because they must spend more than 2% of their production.
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