<h6><strong>Eduardo González</strong></h6> <h4><strong>European Union leaders warned this Thursday in Brussels of the need to “continue substantially increasing spending on Europe's defense and security” and took “note” of the “commitment made in June 2025 at the NATO Summit by Member States that are also NATO members.”</strong></h4> In the conclusions of Thursday's meeting, the European Council reiterated that Europe must be “more sovereign and more responsible for its own defense and better equipped” to act autonomously and in a coordinated manner to address immediate and future challenges and threats with a 360-degree approach. “Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine and its repercussions on European and global security in a changing environment constitute an existential challenge for the European Union,” the leaders of the 27 added. The European Council also recalled that “a stronger and more capable European Union in the field of security and defense will make a positive contribution to global and transatlantic security and complements NATO, which remains, for its member states, the foundation of their collective defense.” In this context, the European Council underlined “the need to continue substantially increasing spending on European defense and security, as well as to invest better together, also taking note of the commitment made in June 2025 at the NATO summit by the Member States that are also members of NATO.” Furthermore, the European Council invited the Member States “to coordinate among themselves the implementation of the relevant commitments.” These conclusions came one day after the final declaration of the NATO Summit in The Hague made clear the "allies'" commitment to "invest 5% of annual GDP" by 2035. The President of the Government Pedro Sánchez ultimately distanced himself from this obligation and insisted that 2.1% is sufficient to meet the Alliance's capability objectives. In statements to the press upon his arrival in Brussels, Sánchez asserted that "Spain is a country of solidarity, committed to the member states of the Alliance, but also sovereign, and that is the balance we found in the Declaration agreed upon by the 32 member states of the Atlantic Alliance, including the United States." "We will fulfill our capabilities," he asserted. "The Spanish Armed Forces and the Ministry of Defense tell us that the capabilities agreed upon 20 days ago, on June 5, with NATO, represent 2.1% of our GDP, and that is what we are going to do," he continued. "This commitment is absolutely compatible with the commitment to sustain and strengthen the welfare state in Spain," he added. <h5><strong>Association Agreement with Israel</strong></h5> Furthermore, the European Council has taken note of the report on Israel's compliance with Article 2 of the EU-Israel Association Agreement and postponed any decision on the matter until at least the next European summit in July. Before the start of the meeting in Brussels, Pedro Sánchez warned that "Europe must suspend the Association Agreement with Israel, and it must do so immediately." In the European Council's conclusions on the Middle East, EU leaders called for "an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and the unconditional release of all hostages," while deploring "the desperate humanitarian situation in Gaza, the unacceptable number of civilian casualties, and the levels of famine." They also demanded that Israel “fully lift its blockade of Gaza” and allow “immediate and unhindered access and the sustained distribution of large-scale humanitarian aid,” and recalled that “Israel must fully comply with its obligations under international law, including international humanitarian law.” In the text adopted by the heads of state and government, the European Council “deplores Hamas’s refusal to hand over the remaining hostages,” “takes note of the report on Israel’s compliance with Article 2 of the EU-Israel Association Agreement,” and invites the Council “to continue discussions on a follow-up, as appropriate, in July 2025, taking into account developments on the ground.” Separately, the 27 reaffirmed their commitment to “a lasting and sustainable peace based on the two-state solution” and expressed their readiness to “contribute to all efforts towards this solution,” urging the parties “to refrain from actions that undermine its viability.” Furthermore, they expressed their continued support for the Palestinian Authority and expressed their anticipation of "the upcoming High-Level International Conference for the Peaceful Resolution of the Palestinian Question and the Implementation of the Two-State Solution." Upon his arrival in Brussels to participate in the Council, Pedro Sánchez warned that "Europe must suspend the Association Agreement with Israel, and it must do so immediately, because it makes no sense for us to impose 18 sanctions on Russia for its aggression against Ukraine, while Europe, in a double standard, is incapable of even suspending an Association Agreement when Article 2 is being flagrantly violated." In this regard, the Prime Minister referred to the report submitted by the Human Rights Rapporteur to the EU Foreign Ministers on "the catastrophic situation of genocide unfolding in Gaza," which was echoed by the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Kaja Kallas, and which demonstrates that "it is more than evident" that Israel "is violating Article 2 of its Association Agreement with the EU regarding respect for human rights." Regarding Iran, the European leaders welcomed "the cessation of hostilities" and called on all parties to "respect international law, act with restraint, and refrain from taking measures that could lead to further escalation." They reaffirmed that "Iran must never acquire a nuclear weapon" and must comply with "its legally binding nuclear safeguards obligations" under the Non-Proliferation Treaty. On the other hand, Hungary once again distanced itself from the conclusions on Ukraine, which were supported by the remaining 26 member states. The text reiterates "Ukraine's inherent right to choose its own destiny" and affirms that the European Union remains firmly behind Ukraine's path toward EU membership, urging the Council to "take the following steps in the accession process, in accordance with the merit-based approach, and to open the expert groups when the conditions are met." Upon arrival at the Summit, several leaders stressed the urgency of accelerating Kyiv's accession process, but Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán stated that it would be an imminent danger, because integrating a country at war would push the rest of the member states into war.
