At the NATO summit held in The Hague, Netherlands, allied nations agreed on the objective to reach 5% of GDP in military spending by 2035, a goal demanded by the U.S. president, who called it a “great victory.” Presidential candidate Henrique Gouveia e Melo was asked by journalists on Thursday if the summit was organized to please Donald Trump but refused to “comment in that vein,” seeing the focus as “collective defense and security.”
“These issues are of high relevance and cannot be simplified as mere appeasement; they are truly complex political situations. There is an ongoing aggression in Europe, the world is unstable, and there is a need to strengthen defense,” he explained.
When asked if he agrees with the aim of reaching 5% of GDP in military spending by 2035, Gouveia e Melo denied such statements. “The percentage will be what is suitable for different countries, and that is a matter for governance, which has to play that role and find how to achieve this defense investment,” stated the admiral.
Gouveia e Melo also emphasized that “the reality is that investment in defense must increase, not because the military desires it, but because there is an aggressor within Europe, which concerns European countries.”
The presidential candidate also acknowledged that it is a “very ambitious goal,” elaborating, “someone will have to judge where to set the bar. If it is lower, it might affect European security. What is the price of European security, and when do we value our security? It must be decided by governments and public opinion.”
Montenegro, admitting the goal’s difficulty, estimated that over the next four years Portugal will spend “above 2% of GDP” with a “gradual upward evolution,” reaching 3.5% by 2035.
Allies leave The Hague with an interim review scheduled for 2029, coinciding with the end of Donald Trump’s second presidential term, after which the White House will have a new occupant.
