If you don’t pay, then you should be kicked out. All NATO members except Spain agreed to spend five percent of their GDP on defence. Now, U.S. President Donald Trump is planning to take action against Spain, possibly in the form of tariffs. He even suggested that Spain should be ejected from the organisation.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez says that he prefers to spend more money on health and education than on armaments. That is all very well but you can’t expect your neighbour to protect you. If Spain wants to be a NATO member then it should pay its way. For years the United States has paid the bill for the defence of Europe while countries like Spain and even Britain cut back. Not anymore with Donald Trump in the White House.
Everyone should pay their equal share, even Spain. It is quite amazing when you consider that the Spanish economy is booming, with a rate of growth far higher than other members of the European Union, and it refuses to increase its defence budget.
There was plenty of talk last weekend over Spain and NATO. As usual the issue was rather bogged down by politics and history. But Prime Minister Sanchez should know that you can’t belong to an exclusive club if you don’t pay the fees. It is as simple as that.