Sánchez is committed to NATO to allocate 2% of GDP to Defence "by 2029"
The President of the Government, Pedro Sánchez, appeared this Thursday on the second and final day of the NATO Summit in Madrid to take stock and review "the achievements" of the organisation with the publication of the new Strategic Concept and the start of the accession process of two new partners, Sweden and Finland, in a context marked by the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Coinciding with the 40th anniversary of Spain's entry into NATO, the capital has hosted 25 years later - the last meeting in Madrid took place in 1997 - a historic summit which Moncloa considers to be "the most important in history" due to its implications, and which has once again placed the country "on the international stage". "Spain has given an image of a serious, modern and committed country", Sánchez stressed.
The President interpreted as the most important event of the Summit the "forceful message of unity and cohesion", as well as the strengthening of the European and transatlantic link "with the aim of preserving peace". Sánchez valued the "historic nature" of the entry of Sweden and Finland and also assured that formal talks would begin immediately: "Their accession is the best proof of the value of the Alliance".
Executive sources say that the signing of the Accession Protocols with Stockholm and Helsinki will take place on 5 July at NATO headquarters in Brussels. After that, the 30 national parliaments will have to approve the Nordic countries' membership through their internal mechanisms and, finally, deposit the membership documents with the US State Department.
Sánchez highlighted the value of the new Madrid Strategic Concept, which formally replaces the one drawn up at the Lisbon Summit 12 years ago. On this occasion, the Atlantic Alliance identifies Russia as 'the main threat', once again includes terrorism as a challenge for the next 10 years and recognises China, for the first time, as an actor that 'strives to subvert the rules-based international order'. But the President of the Government put the spotlight on the inclusion of the Southern Flank.
La Cumbre #MadridOTAN22 ha mostrado la fuerte unidad entre los Estados de la Alianza. Hemos puesto de relieve la importancia de la @NATO para nuestra paz y seguridad. Además, España ha proyectado en estos días la imagen de un país comprometido con la estabilidad internacional. pic.twitter.com/3FKcWF3T3J
— Pedro Sánchez (@sanchezcastejon) June 30, 2022
Moncloa boasts about the references to the instrumentalisation of migration as hybrid threats included in the strategic document, which were among Spain's main demands. The government claims to be satisfied with a summit that mentions "territorial integrity" on four occasions, but does not specify any specific territory. In this sense, Moncloa clarifies that after the Madrid summit it will be up to each ally to define its own integrity, which would include more territories than those included in article 6.
"It is curious that this is being raised now", Sánchez said in reference to this concept during the appearance. The President of the Government concluded that the strategic document "makes it clear that it is going to be defended to the last centimetre", which is why the case of Ceuta and Melilla is a debate that is "more artificial than real".
Sánchez viewed positively the increase in common funds agreed at the summit: "If we increase their capacities, we must increase their funding. We must allocate more economic resources". Spain, according to the President, will fulfil its commitment to NATO to allocate 2% of GDP to defence "between now and 2029" and will take the measure to the Congress of Deputies so that it becomes "a national agreement that transcends ideological divisions". Spain currently spends 1.01% of GDP on NATO, some 13 billion euros.
Sánchez does not have the approval of the government's minority partner. UN Podemos has come out against the decision, so he will have to seek the parliamentary backing of Feijóo's PP, which Moncloa hopes to get. He will also need the 'yes' of the PP to push through the plan presented by US President Joe Biden to increase the number of destroyers at the Rota base in Cádiz from two to six.
