Alex Trelinski
PRIME Minister Pedro Sanchez has responded to US President Donald Trump’s threat to raise tariffs on Spanish goods because his government won’t spend 5% of the country’s GDP on defence.
Sanchez, speaking in Brussels on Thursday, said that Spain is a sovereign country and that trade policy and agreements including tariffs is down to the European Union.
At this week’s NATO summit in The Hague, Sanchez stated that his government will not spend more than 2.1% of its GDP on defence.
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In response, Donald Trump threatened to negotiate a trade agreement with Spain and would make the country ‘pay double’.
When asked if he is worried by Trump’s threat, Sanchez quoted comments from Economy Minister, Carlos Cuerpo, stating that he had responded to Trump already by reminding him that trade deals are negotiated by the European Union on behalf of all member states.
He also criticised the trade war provoked by Trump with ‘unfair and unilateral’ tariff measures.
Sanchez stated that in regards to Spain, they were ‘doubly unfair’ because the country has a trade deficit with the United States.
The Prime Minister also called on the EU to immediately suspend its association agreement with Israel, since it is ‘more than evident’ that is violating respect for human rights in Gaza.
He confirmed he will make the request to fellow EU leaders.
“What does not make any sense is that we have 18 packages of sanctions on Russia for its aggression against Ukraine and Europe, which is a double standard when the EU is not even capable of suspending an association agreement when Article Two of respect for human rights is being flagrantly violated,” he commented.
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