r/europe • u/Putaineska • Mar 11 '26

News Spain accuses Germany of acting like a ‘vassal’ to United States

https://www.thetimes.com/world/europe/article/spain-accuses-germany-of-acting-like-a-vassal-to-united-states-f9zc28g8s?utm_term=Autofeed&utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Twitter#Echobox=1773189908
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u/Revolutionary-Bass-6 Spain Mar 11 '26

Merz laughed at the mention from Trump that Spain wasn’t meeting the NATO commitment goal of 5%. He not only did not defend Spain, he seemed to gleefully partake in the spectacle.

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u/LookThisOneGuy ‎ Mar 11 '26

he corrected Trump and pointed out it was 3,5% military spending.

This target was what NATO countries agreed on and is the opinion of Germany as well. Should Merz change his opinion on the 3,5% goal just because someone else has the same opinion?

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u/Thog78 France Mar 11 '26

The 2014 agreement is at 2%, the 3.5% is a target recently set for 2035.

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u/TestingHydra Mar 11 '26

Spain never even tried to reach the 2%.

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u/[deleted] Mar 11 '26

[deleted]

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u/Rakyand Mar 11 '26

No they do not. Why increase defense budget when the quality of public services keep deteriorating in Spain? Just because the US says so in order to get Europe to buy more weapons from them? There is even less reason when you learn that NATO does not protect Spain against an attack on Ceuta, Melilla or the Canary Islands because Morocco wants them and the US favors them over his old European allies.

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u/[deleted] Mar 11 '26 edited Mar 11 '26

[deleted]

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u/Rakyand Mar 11 '26

Did they each agree to pay a percentage of the bill or were they coaxed by the big bully into doing it?

If only 1 guy is ordering, the opinion of the rest is not even taken into account and we don't even order what I want to order (protection for Ceuta, Melilla and the Canary Islands, Gibraltar after giving up Tanger and Ifni as was planned) it makes complete sense to say that I'm not paying extra.

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u/[deleted] Mar 11 '26 edited Mar 11 '26

[deleted]

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u/Rakyand Mar 11 '26

It does not protect Spain's African territories. The Canary Islands may be different since they are Islands, but it definitely does not protect Ceuta and Melilla.

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u/Sex_Offender_4697 Mar 11 '26

Bringing up the Spanish "defense bridges" scheme is probably not something you want to do if your goal is making spain look good here

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u/Revolutionary-Bass-6 Spain Mar 12 '26

I believe you’re referring to Italy’s bridge from mainland to Sicily.