The government does not expect to invest more than 2 % in military spending in 2026, despite the fact that NATO believes that it is not enough and is asking to reach 5 %
Spain’s military investment will not exceed 2 % of GDP (GDP) in 2025, however And you will not do that in 2026. The government does not plan to overcome this goal that he promised TakeBut this may decrease in only one month, when a summit The Atlantic Ocean alliance can determine a new condition for the allies: the spending of 5 % of the gross domestic product in the defense. Government sources say that despite its proposal, Spain is not considering working with this percentage in the next year because, as Spain and other countries are already realized They are “to the neck” with the current investment.
Specifically, on Tuesday, the European Union defense ministers held a meeting in Brussels attended by NATO Secretary -General Mark Root. At the same time, they were asked to reach 5 % of GDP military spending in the next seven years -3.5 % in military investment accurately and another 1.5 % in infrastructure. From the Spanish government they see this percentage and the sources of the Ministry of Defense that are directed Margareta Robilis They argue that they transferred it to Rotist. “We want to meet 2 %,” they were transferred.
They will do this 2025, which will comply with Spain’s current commitment to NATO. However, although a new percentage is determined next June, the government He does not plan new efforts in 2026. They guarantee that the Spanish industry already reaches 2 %, in addition, from the defense are still important to the new demand from NATO, which is associated with some of “Content” for the President of the United Statesand Donald TrumpAnd not with a real need, in addition to taking advantage of the “future vision” of the industries.
In fact, from defense They reduce the expectations of the June summitNoting that everything will be negotiated before meeting because it will only give time to be “out”. “This month there will be a lot of meeting, everything will be a previous work,” these sources confirm. In this sense, from the government they believe that Rotist has already put “all the body in the grill” when talking about 5 %, which means spending 33,000 million euros to about 80,000 million. “In Spain, we can no longer accept,” and they emphasize, in addition to being a political problem for PSOE because its partners will not support them, they can be unable to implement these investments.
Regarding their partners, they also add another problem to the equation after Congress confessed to the total ban of Israeli weapons. They point out that this may be an obstacle to achieving a higher rate of military investment, because the government will not have it Where do you get all the materials. It is an issue that emphasizes the government for weeks that despite the commitment not to sell weapons with the Hebrew country since October 7, 2023, he realizes that it will be difficult to fulfill complete blocking because there is cybersecurity technology and artificial intelligence that Spain needs and that the Hebrew country alone.
In addition, there is also a file Body problemSince the industries that make weapons cannot afford all this production at such a short time. In the case of Spanish, the defense admits that they must “put the batteries.” “They need a talent.”They highlight these same sources, which guarantee that these sectors are committed to optimism, but they need to make a “effort”. In this sense, it argues that 2 % of GDP is already being met by the defense to focus now on 5 % demanding Rutte, although 1.5 % is dedicated to infrastructure.
