The NATO general secretary, Mark Rutteis not “worried” that Spain's refusal to increase the 5% defense expenditure can fail a summit in which alliance leaders must commit to achieve that goalrecognizing that achieving it will imply difficult political decisions.
NATO leaders meet on Wednesday in The Hague. The main result of this summit will be a statement that marks in 5% of GDP the target of defense spending for the allies. 3.5% will be in pure military spending dedicated to comply with the military capacities of the Alliance, and 1.5% to expenses linked to defense. That is the calculation of the alliance, but Spain does another. The president of the Government, Pedro Sánchez, announced that Spain would be limited to an expense of 2.1% After having reached an agreement with Routte, something that he did not like in the block, threatening to dynamit the meeting.
Difficult elections
Upon arrival at the summit, Rutte explained that “politicians have to make difficult choices in moments of shortage”. The general secretary stressed that “seven or eight countries” that were far from 2% at the beginning of this year, have achieved it in a matter of months. The decision of the leaders on Wednesday raises that objective substantially. “Countries have to find that money,” The Dutchman said, “it's not easy.” But Rutte insists that leaders share the conviction that given the Russian threat, the geopolitical situation, “There is no alternative, we have to do this”, He has insisted.
Christian Michalthe Prime Minister of Estonia has said that “understands” and “supports” the 5% objective that would make NATO “much stronger”. For Michal “Increasing defense expenditure is a duty if we want to preserve freedom”. Estonian has highlighted the efforts of his country in this regard, which will reach 4.5% next year, and has said that he hopes to be an example for other countries. ” For his part, the Norwegian, Jonas Gahr Støre He has assured that “The important thing” is to meet the capacities. At the same time, it has insisted that the statement that marks 5% of GDP as an objective is signed by all allies.
A genius
The Belgian Prime Minister, Bart De Wever, He has assured that “There are no exceptions but it is a matter of interpretation”. The agreement to 32 is to invest 5% of GDP in defense, with a 3.5% pure military spending, to comply with the military capacities that the alliance itself has imposed. “The interpretation of Spain is that they can comply with the capabilities without spending 3.5%,” He said of Wever, “It remains to be seen.”
“I understand the budgetary problems my Spanish colleague has Because I have the same problems, ”added the Belgian. Bart de Weber has added that if Spain can meet the capabilities objectives without reaching 5%, “It would be great and others we will certainly try”. The Belgian added that in any case, all allies have signed the same text and that text marks 5% as a goal. If Sanchez can do it with less “it's a genius,” but NATO, he added, “is not silly.”
Subscribe to continue reading
