Madrid, Apr 22 (AP) Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said on Tuesday that Spain will meet NATO’s defence spending target this year, as pressure grows on the eurozone’s fourth-largest economy and NATO laggard to boost its military expenditure.

Sánchez said the government will raise defence spending by 10.5 billion euros (USD 12 billion) to reach NATO’s 2 per cent of GDP target. The spending would go toward telecommunications, cybersecurity and buying military equipment, he said, as well as raising salaries and adding troops to the armed forces.

Spain, which spent the least of all NATO members last year on defence as a share of GDP, had previously committed to reaching the 2 per cent target by 2029. But it has come under pressure for not spending enough amid a widening chasm in the transatlantic alliance as the Trump administration has said its security priorities lie elsewhere.

US President Donald Trump has repeatedly taken European allies to task for not spending enough on their own defence and has pushed NATO allies to raise defence spending to as much as 5 per cent of GDP.

Facing what he called a “changing era,” Sánchez said it was time for Spain to “take control of our own destiny” and contribute to Europe’s rearmament.

“If you asked me years go about my government’s investment priorities in security and defence, it’s obvious my response would have been different,” Sánchez said. “That’s not because our values have changed … it’s because the world has.” The Socialist leader heads a minority government with hard-left coalition partners that oppose defence and military increases. Sánchez said his plan to boost defence spending would not go through Parliament. (AP) GSP