Trump’s Demand at NATO Summit for Increased Defense Spending: Spain’s Thorn and Greece’s Position

Today, all eyes are on The Hague during the NATO Summit, which is taking place under the shadow of escalating tensions in the Middle East. While the agenda focuses on increasing defense spending by member states, allies will also need to form a united front regarding the Israel-Iran conflict. Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis is expected to emphasize the role NATO must play amid global uncertainty and highlight threats to regional and global security. A key issue at the summit is updating the Defense Investment Pledge (DIP) to 5% of GDP by 2035, as demanded by former U.S. President Donald Trump. However, Spain’s refusal to comply with this demand has created tension within NATO. For Greece, meeting this new target would mean doubling its defense expenditure over the next decade and maintaining it thereafter. Mitsotakis plans to stress that Greece already spends over 3% of its GDP on defense and supports equal participation among allies in increasing military budgets. Meanwhile, discussions about European defense autonomy could impact upcoming EU Council meetings.