NATO estimates Spain has reached defence spending of 2% of gross domestic product in 2025, marking its first fulfilment of the benchmark set by the Alliance’s 2014 Wales summit.

The assessment, published on Thursday from data up to 3 June, places Spain among the allies dedicating the smallest shares of GDP to defence, but concludes that all NATO members are now expected to meet the 2% goal. In 2024, only 19 of the 31 members achieved it.

Spain increased its defence budget by 43.11% in a year, rising from €22,693 million in 2024 to €33,123 million in 2025 to reach the target.

Other European countries at 2% include Belgium, the Czech Republic, North Macedonia, Luxembourg and Portugal. Germany is also listed, though its pledge to reach the threshold still awaits approval by the German parliament. Around ten countries register between 2% and 2.1%, among them France, Italy and Canada. A higher-spending group includes Poland at 4.48%, Lithuania at 4%, Latvia at 3.73%, Estonia at 3.38% and Norway at 3.35%. The United States is shown reducing its share since 2014 to 3.22% this year, still above Denmark at 3.22%, Greece at 2.05%, Sweden at 2.51%, Finland at 2.77%, the United Kingdom at 2.40% and Turkey at 2.33%.

In June, under pressure from United States president Donald Trump and Russia’s war effort in Ukraine, NATO countries agreed to lift total security-related outlays to 5% of GDP by 2035—3.5% for military spending and 1.5% for broader security. Spain says it will meet Alliance-requested capabilities with 2.1%.

(Source: La Vanguardia)