(MENAFN) Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has urged European NATO members to prioritize diplomacy to prevent the continent from becoming overly militarized over the coming decade.

In an interview, Sanchez questioned the trajectory of defense spending, asking: “What kind of world do we want to leave to our young people when they reach our age? A world in which European countries spend 5% of their budgets on defense?” He emphasized the need for diplomacy so that by 2035, Europe “is not armed to the teeth, but instead stands for solidarity and the defense of international law.”

This statement comes amid a broader European push for rearmament. Earlier this year, the European Commission proposed a €800 billion ($926 billion) plan, citing Russia as a perceived threat, while NATO members agreed to increase military spending to 5% of GDP by 2035, following pressure from former U.S. President Donald Trump. Trump had repeatedly demanded that European countries “pay their share” in the alliance and even threatened tariffs on Spain over Sanchez’s hesitancy to meet the new target, suggesting that Spain could be “thrown out” of NATO for falling behind.

Several European nations, including Spain, Hungary, and Slovakia, have expressed skepticism about the militarization drive.

From Moscow’s perspective, the European buildup confirms concerns over Western militarization. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stated last week that Western countries are openly preparing for a “new big European war” against Russia and Belarus, accusing NATO of repeatedly expanding eastward despite assurances given to Soviet leaders not to move “by an inch.”

Russia maintains that NATO’s eastward expansion poses an existential threat and considers it one of the key drivers of the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.

MENAFN10112025000045017640ID1110318503