NATO allies are pressing Spain to sign on to a stepped-up defense spending target and end a holdout that US President Donald Trump portrayed as unacceptable.
Ahead of a North Atlantic Treaty Organization summit starting Tuesday that Trump is scheduled to attend, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez is the only leader who’s outright opposed to the proposal to raise outlays to 5% of gross domestic product.
“NATO’s going to have to deal with Spain,” Trump told reporters during a trip to his New Jersey golf club on Friday. “Spain’s been a very low payer. I think Spain has to pay what everybody else has to pay.”
Ambassadors of NATO member countries held inconclusive talks in Brussels on Friday and are expected to continue into the weekend, according to people familiar with the matter, who asked for anonymity to discuss private consultations. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte is negotiating directly with Sanchez, the people said.
Others among the alliance’s lowest spenders, such as Italy and Belgium, have expressed doubt about the 5% goal and asked for flexibility but eventually came on board.
The two-day NATO summit in The Hague begins on Tuesday.
While Rutte initially proposed a 2032 target, the latest draft pushes the date back to 2035. His wish to see mandatory yearly increases has also been stripped, which should make the process easier for laggards.
NATO’s existing target calls for member countries to spend 2% of GDP on defense. Under the new target, 1.5% would go to broader defense-related spending such as cybersecurity as well as infrastructure for moving troops and military equipment.
The agreed criteria are broad enough that all allies should be able meet that part of the plan quickly, according to the people. The increase in core defense spending from 2% to 3.5% will be much harder to deliver.
What could help bring Spain on board is that NATO will review the equipment and troops it deems necessary in 2029. The price tag attached to its capabilities could be tweaked at that point, potentially providing some breathing room for countries, according to the people.
With assistance from Skylar Woodhouse.
This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.