Spain has announced a significant investment plan of €10.5bn to ensure it reaches its commitment to Nato of spending 2% of its GDP on defense this year. This announcement comes as it has become clear that Europe alone will be responsible for protecting its own continent. Spain, which currently dedicates only approximately 1.3% of its GDP towards defense, has been under pressure from the Trump administration to increase its spending. The country had previously committed to meeting the 2% threshold by 2029.
On Tuesday, Spain’s prime minister, Pedro Sanchez, unveiled the “industrial and technological plan for security and defense” that will enable the country to meet the 2% commitment by 2025. Approved by the cabinet, this plan aims to address current and future defense challenges. Its main focus will be telecommunications, cybersecurity, and purchasing military equipment. According to Sanchez, the enemies of Europe not only use missiles but also employ unmanned drones, paramilitary forces, sabotage, disinformation, and advanced technologies like AI cyber-attacks and quantum computers to target European ways of life.
Sanchez emphasized that Europe is a beacon of hope and certainty in a world dominated by uncertainty. To protect this certainty, Spanish security and defense systems must be strengthened. He afferred that Spain would contribute to protecting Europe. Vladimir Putin’s neo-imperialism, Sánchez said, poses a threat to European security, and the Spanish government is committed to supporting Ukraine and the unity of European countries.
Sanchez assured that the additional spending would not lead to increased taxes, reduce welfare state budgets, or increase deficits. However, the plan has faced criticism from left-wing coalition partners in the Sumar platform, who describe the plans as incoherent and excessively expensive. In January, Donald Trump increased pressure on Nato, calling for a higher defense spending threshold of 5% of GDP. Nato’s secretary-general, Mark Rutte, has encouraged member states to increase their defense contributions in response to threats from Washington and described the pressure as already yielding results in countries like Spain, Portugal, Belgium, and Italy.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/apr/22/spain-nato-defence-spending
