MADRID (Reuters) – The Spanish government will outline and start implementing a plan to boost the defence sector before the summer, Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez told lawmakers on Wednesday, without providing details.
“The objective of this plan is for Spain to contribute to and, at the same time, benefit from this technological and industrial stimulus to strengthen the European security and defence area, while remaining faithful to our principles,” he said.
In a speech about new global geopolitical challenges, Sanchez also promised that any increase in investment in security and defence would be carried out without cutting spending on social or environment policies.
With Spain having the NATO alliance’s lowest spending on defence at 1.3% of gross domestic product in 2024, Sanchez is seeking to keep pace with European partners worried about Russia’s threat and U.S. unreliability under President Donald Trump.
He faces opposition at home from left-wing allies reluctant to sacrifice social spending for defence.
Sanchez has previously said Spain will reach NATO’s spending target of 2% of GDP before Madrid’s prior commitment of 2029, also arguing that southern European countries have different challenges to those faced by eastern flank allies, and need to focus on border controls, fighting terrorism and cyber attacks.
(Reporting by Inti Landauro, writing by Aislinn Laing, editing by Andrei Khalip)
