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Date Published: 25/06/2025

Trump vs Spain latest: Clash over NATO summit as historic defence spending agreed

NATO allies have pledged to meet a target of 5% of GDP by 2035 in response to the Russian threat, though the Israel-Iran issue was conspicuous by its absence on the agenda

NATO leaders have endorsed a landmark declaration at the summit in The Hague, committing all 32 member countries to invest 5% of their gross domestic product (GDP) annually on defence and security-related spending by 2035.

The decision, which has been enshrined in the final text adopted this Wednesday June 25, aims to ensure NATO can meet both individual and collective obligations in the face of mounting global security threats.

The agreement requires each country to submit annual plans outlining “a credible, incremental path to reach this goal,” with a broader review scheduled for 2029 to assess overall progress.

The move is seen as a direct response to what NATO describes as the “long-term threat posed by Russia to Euro-Atlantic security,” as well as the continuing risk of terrorism.

The summit declaration also reaffirmed the allies’ “ironclad commitment to collective defence as enshrined in Article 5 of the Washington Treaty – that an attack on one is an attack on all.”

It included a commitment to continued support for Ukraine, stressing that Ukraine’s security “contributes to ours,” although it stopped short of directly condemning Russia by name.

Sánchez and Trump, on opposite ends of the spectrum

The agreement comes despite resistance from some leaders, most notably President of the government of Spain, Pedro Sánchez, who has argued that military requirements can be met without adhering strictly to a percentage of GDP.

“If Spain makes an interpretation, everyone can make their interpretation,” Belgian Prime Minister Bart de Wever commented upon arrival, adding, “Sánchez says he can cover the capacities with 2.1%. If he does that, he is a genius and genius inspires.”

Nonetheless, Spain joined the other allies in signing the declaration, which makes no clear allowance for exceptions. It calls on all members to work towards the 5% threshold, citing “profound threats and challenges to security”.

US President Donald Trump, who has long pushed for greater European defence spending, reinforced his criticism of Spain on the eve of the summit. Speaking from Air Force One en route to The Hague, he said, “NATO has a problem with Spain. Spain does not agree, this is very unfair to the rest,” referring to Sánchez’s reluctance.

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, hosting the summit, described the outcome as “a quantum leap” in the alliance’s readiness and cohesion.

“We have laid the foundations for a stronger, fairer and more lethal NATO,” he said. “No matter the challenges we face – whether from Russia, terrorism, cyberattacks or sabotage – this alliance is and will remain ready, willing and able to defend every inch of allied territory.”

On the topic of Spain, he said, “As you know… they think they can reach the capability target by 2.1%, NATO is saying it has to be 3.5% like for all the other allies. All allies will report on how they are getting to the capability targets. So we will see, and in 2029 we will, anyway, have a review of all of this.”

In a press junket after the declaration was signed, Sánchez claimed it was the Armed Forces and the Ministry of Defence who had stated this 2.1% figure all along and not him, but insisted that Spain wants to comply with what has been agreed as a “reliable” and “predictable” NATO partner.

We are one of the top 5 NATO countries with the most troops deployed since the invasion of Ukraine,” he said, stating that almost 2,000 troops had been deployed on the ground.

He also stated that NATO has recognised that the “declaration will give Spain the flexibility to work out how to achieve this for itself in a way that works for it.”

He finished up by saying that he didn't have a chance to say hello to Trump at the summit and had not spoken to him about his comments.

While it has committed to spending a smaller percentage of its GDP on defence than other NATO partners, Spain is one of the few countries in the world that continues to invest heavily in international humanitarian aid to poorer nations, allocating 0.7% of its GDP by 2030, making it something of an outlier on the global stage.

Image: NATO Spokesperson

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