“The reason I am here is that all NATO countries understand (…), which should contribute to this level of 5% as a recognition of the nature of the threat.” With these words, the US Minister of Defense, Pete Highset, explained his presence in Brussels to participate in the NATO meeting to the top of the Hague alliance, in which a new goal of military spending will be established. And the pressure is the total number for this percentage to move from current 2% to 5% of GDP in 2032.
Hegesh’s words are not trivial, given that the previous case, which was in Brussels with his colleagues from other 31 NATO members, threatened to ignore the security of Europe, which was always subjected to the United States. After this coup on the table, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte made Donald Trump’s demands that the allies cause their military expenses up to 5% with a double formula: 3.5% in net and hard military spending and 1.5% with a wider defense concept, which includes cybersecurity or protection of critical infrastructures.
Most allies admit that 5%, including Germany, simultaneously announcing a historical increase in military expenses. Also in Spain Pedro Sanchez announced an additional package of 10,500 million people this year by 2%. However, the government rejects the imposition of 5%. Government sources argue that this is a figure that has imposed by the United States with political and non -lactic criteria. That is why they believe that the corresponding thing is to establish the necessary opportunities, and that each country decides what percentage of GDP allocates to achieve these goals.
This is the one that the defense ministers will officially give this Thursday when approving the goals of the plan of military capabilities. In other words, establish that NATO considers it necessary to guarantee deterrence and its defense in case of attack. And the fact that 32 states -member states agreed is an increase by a 30% military capabilities of the Alliance for the previous purpose (which had an unsurpassed figure between 60 and 80%).
The criteria of Spain is that with the current plan to spend 2% of GDP in defense corresponds to the goals of the capabilities that they agreed with NATO. In addition, the argument of Margarita Rodbes is that the European industry cannot absorb an increase in these characteristics. Nevertheless, these are not the criteria of the Secretary General Mark Ruth, who assured that an increase in opportunities by 30% leads to “considered additional investments”, because, as he explained, the plan approved this Thursday “rooted” in the new purpose of the costs, which will be solved at the Kheigsky summit 24 and 25.
“We are working with all our allies to agree with this obligation in the Hague, including our friends in Spain, and I hope that all allies will join the obligations,” Matthew Whitacher’s ambassador joined NATO on Wednesday.
“The United States is proud to be here to be with our allies. But our message will remain clear. This is a restraining factor and peace in force. This cannot be and will not depend on the United States, ”said the Minister of Defense Trump before entering the meeting. Most of the weapons of the allies were bought in the United States, which was clogged against the “rethinking” plan of the EU, which includes a paragraph so that the new material is “made in Europe”.
The United States is the main taxpayer of NATO security. His defense costs in 2024 amounted to 3.19%, while the alliance set remained at 2.61%. In fact, this figure descends to 2%, removing the US equations, that is, with the numbers of European countries and Canada.
“We must invest in our long -term missiles, in our land systems, command and management systems … All this should happen, and this means huge investments that we need in NATO. And by the way, this will also correspond to what we spend, with the fact that the United States is spent.