Spain boosts military spending to close gap with NATO goal

By JOSEPH WILSON
Associated Press

BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — Spain is increasing military spending as it works toward meeting a NATO commitment by dedicating 2% of gross domestic product to defense. Spanish government Cabinet members on Tuesday approved a one-off expenditure of almost 1 billion euros ($1 billion) that the government said was needed to cover unexpected expenses produced by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Spain has sent military and humanitarian aid to Ukraine, and deployed more troops and aircraft to NATO missions in Eastern Europe. NATO leaders agreed at a summit in Madrid last week to expand efforts to get all alliance members to spend 2% of GDP. Only nine of the Western military alliance’s 30 members currently meet or surpass that goal.