Rutte believes that Spain will reach 5% in defense and the government ensures that negotiation is starting | Spain

NATO general secretary, Mark Rutte, has done it again. Two months ago he said that Spain would arrive before summer at 2%, which generated great discomfort and a denial of the Moncloa. But a few weeks later, Pedro Sánchez He announced that Spain will reach 2% before the end of the year. Now Routte says that Spain will reach 5% of defense spending, the figure that the US claims and that is in full negotiation within NATO, but that would mean a huge increase for Spain. Right now it is at 1.4% and could affect social spending, which Sánchez He has promised not to touch the expense in defense.

From Tirana, before a very clear question from the Spanish press – « Mr. Routte, do you think Spain will reach 5% in defense spending? » – NATO general secretary has been resounding: « no doubt. » This time the Spanish government has not opted for a radical denial but with leaving everything open, but showing that the NATO general secretary is not the one who sets the Spanish position. « Rutte speaks in the name of Rutte. The Government of Spain will speak when it corresponds to it, because now we are starting the negotiation. The Spanish government announced that it reached 2% this year and we are fulfilling, » replies sources from the Executive.

Asked about the meaning of Routte’s words, a spokeswoman for the NATO chief has clarified the context of his response to El País. The Dutch « trusts » that all allies join to invest more in defense, one of the « main priorities » of the summit in The Hague next month, he explained. « Spain has already taken important steps in this direction with the announcement of the President of the Government just a few weeks ago, » he added.

During the Informal Summit of Foreign Ministers in the Turkish city of Antalya on Thursday, Routte expressly greeted countries that, such as Spain, Luxembourg or Italy, have announced, since this year they will fulfill the objective of 2% set at the 2014 Wales Summit. But it was also emphatic in the need to increase national expenditure in defense and made it clear that the goal of more than a decade is insufficient.

According to several countries, Rutte has raised the allies a double approach: on the one hand, increase strict 3.5% defense for 2032. And, on the other, dedicate another 1.5% to expenses related to a broader concept of security, such as infrastructure or cybersecurity. In this way, the 5% goal would be reached that the president of the United States, Donald Trump, insists, must be approved in The Hague.

Officially, the Spanish government does not transfer its position in this complex negotiation, and is limited to talking about that 2% who has not wanted to go further. However, in private several members of the Executive are suspicious of that proposal of 5%, which seems unfeasible because it would mean a huge increase in defense spending that they see excessive and that could directly affect the central element of the policy of the coalition government, this is social spending. Sanchez cannot at this time approve new budgets, which can only redistribute spending within the accounts of 2023.

In addition, the president governs in coalition with adding, who opposes the increase in defense spending but has somehow let 2%pass, but could not take a leap to 5%. Sánchez thus now begins a difficult negotiation on the way to the Summit of The Hague, in June, which is decisive not only for the international commitments of Spain but also for the Spanish political reality itself, because if it is forced to agree on a disproportionate increase in expenditure in Defense Sánchez could have many internal difficulties.