NEWS
NEWS

US points finger at the Government of Spain again: "All allies, without exception, must comply" with "the 5% military spending target"

Updated

"No exemptions. Each of the Alliance countries will have to do it," insists the US Ambassador to NATO. "The 32 accepted the same agreement," he emphasizes

Pedro Sánchez and the US President, Donald Trump, yesterday in Egypt.
Pedro Sánchez and the US President, Donald Trump, yesterday in Egypt.AP

The United States has once again pointed at the Government of Spain and President Sánchez. The US Ambassador to NATO, Matthew Whitaker, stated on Tuesday that all allies must reach the 5% military spending target. No exceptions or exemptions, and this obligation also directly concerns Spain.

"The United States expects all NATO allies to fulfill their defense commitments and the 5% spending target: 3.5% for NATO capability targets and another 1.5% for Defense-related spending. All allies agreed to do so. There were no exceptions or exemptions. The 32 allies accepted the same agreement," Whitaker pointed out in a briefing before the Alliance's Defense Ministers meeting scheduled for tomorrow in Brussels, in response to questions from various media outlets, including EL MUNDO.

"NATO has ensured peace within the alliance for 76 years. But the world is too dangerous to take security for granted. Each ally, including Spain, must fulfill the Defense commitment from The Hague. No exceptions. No exemptions. Each ally will have to do it," Whitaker emphasized in a very clear message to Spain.

The pointing at Spain comes after last week when President Trump himself suggested that the country should be expelled from NATO due to its low defense spending. "I asked everyone to spend 5% of GDP, instead of 2%, and many said it wouldn't happen, that it was impossible. But it happened almost unanimously. There was only one laggard, Spain. Spain... They will have to call them and ask why they don't want to. And they are doing well, oddly enough, with the things we have done. Maybe they need to be kicked out of NATO, frankly," he stated.

Additionally, yesterday, the tycoon and Sánchez met in Egypt, where the US leader made another reference to this issue.