Yolanda Díaz, on the increase in military spending: “It will not go up or down but to reorder the defense policy”

The turn that Donald Trump has given to support Ukraine and the threat of disconnecting from Europe’s security has accelerated the feeling of urgency in the old continent for becoming self -sufficient in that area, which has translated into plans to rearm multimillionaires. Pedro Sánchez, who was one of the most reluctant to increase military spending and had designed a road map in the medium term to reach 2% of GDP in 2029, acknowledged on Thursday that he will accelerate the rhythm. And also in Brussels, the second vice president, Yolanda Díaz has spoken, although it has not made it clear if it is 100% aligned with the intention of the socialist: “it will not go up or lower the military or defense budget in Europe but to reorder the defense policy.”

Díaz has recognized that Trump’s arrival at the White House, added to “the wars”, has been “a moment of geopolitical recession” that “forces us to think” about the security and defense of both Ukraine and the whole of the continent. Thus, he has criticized that so far the EU “has not had a defense and exterior policy” but a dependent on the US.

“The budget is not going up, it is coordinating troops and deciding in a coordinated way what we need in Europe,” said Díaz, who has not rejected the increase in spending. What has pointed out is that it cannot be directed to an “armed career without control” or that a “line guided by austerity” that leads to a “deficit” in social matters is followed. “The debate is why in an EU that has more budget in defense than Russia,” he added.

“This is the position of adding beyond the nuances,” said the vice president about the resounding rejection of Sánchez’s words by some of the parties that form the coalition, such as IU or Compromís.

“We must take stock of what our country needs and do it within the framework of a coordination of troops and economic resources in Europe, a Europe that has more defense budget than Russia. And here I leave it because we are going to be the result of the debate that exists, ”he answered before the insistence of journalists about whether he agreed with the increase in spending defended by Sánchez:“ We do not fix anything for raising the military budget what we need to know is what defense policy we will practice in the 21st century at a very complex moment of geopolitical recession ”.

“Our bet is clear to continue supporting Ukraine,” said the vice president who has not given his opinion on the hypothetical shipment of troops to that country once there was an eventual peace agreement. “The government president has answered to this question,” he said. However, Sanchez has left in the air the possible participation of Spain in a mission of that type under the premise that it is “premature” to address that debate at a time when the war continues.