Spain is right to oppose increasing NATO countries' spending goal from 2% to 5% of GDP at an upcoming summit in the Hague, former EU foreign affairs chief Josep Borrell has said. The veteran Spanish socialist who stepped down last summer, wrote on X that the mooted target increase is an “arbitrary target to satisfy [Donald] Trump.”

NATO allies are pressing Spain to end its holdout on a stepped-up defense spending target that’s one of US President Donald Trump’s key demands for an alliance summit next week.

The comment comes as Trump prepares to meet NATO leaders at The Hague in the Netherlands next week for the annual NATO summit. The summit begins on Tuesday and will conclude Wednesday.