Sánchez defies Trump's pressure before NATO summit while PP demands a single government stance

The next NATO summit in Ankara will once again place Spain at the center of the defense debate. The President of the Government, Pedro Sánchez, will attend the meeting determined to maintain his position regarding military spending, defending that allocating 2.1% of GDP is sufficient to comply with the obligations acquired with the Atlantic Alliance.

The Spanish stance clashes head-on with the demands of the United States, which calls for a much greater effort from its allies in defense matters. In recent weeks, US President, Donald Trump, has intensified his criticism of Spain, questioning both its level of military investment and the Government's refusal to support certain international actions by Washington, including the operation carried out together with Israel in Iran.

Despite these pressures, the Executive insists that its commitment to NATO is guaranteed and rules out modifying its strategy. Moncloa considers that the current investment percentage allows to meet the capacity objectives set by the organization without compromising other budget items. In parallel, the Government plans to promote new military modernization programs to reinforce areas such as anti-aircraft defense and missile systems.

In this context, the Popular Party has taken advantage of the proximity of the summit to demand a clearer and more cohesive position from the Executive. The party led by Alberto Núñez Feijóo has registered an initiative in Congress demanding that Spain send an unequivocal message of commitment to Euro-Atlantic security and avoid public discrepancies between the partners of the governmental coalition.

The Popular Party argues that the Government's internal differences weaken the country's international image and defend that Spain should play a more active role within NATO. In addition, they propose that the Alliance reinforce its attention on the southern flank, especially in regions such as the Mediterranean, the Sahel, the Maghreb and the Middle East, due to their strategic relevance for Spanish national security.