Post B55lmK4FMjU5BAld1U by enigmatico@mk.absturztau.be
 (DIR) More posts by enigmatico@mk.absturztau.be
 (DIR) Post #B55ixkA0OSevQaDOFc by randahl@mastodon.social
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       Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez wins the internet this week with this striking characterisation of the wannabe dictator:"The Government of Spain will not applaud those who set the world on fire, just because they show up with a bucket of water."(Thanks to @Paul_stilgar for this find.)
       
 (DIR) Post #B55ixkOtV6ZKAlBHSS by jakmarcin@mstdn.science
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       @randahl @Paul_stilgar I wonder whether the Spanish prime minister would be just as principled if Spain were located where Latvia or Poland are. BTW, this is the same Spain that says which does not need to increase Europe’s defense capabilities.
       
 (DIR) Post #B55ixkYouCVafXpCvg by enigmatico@mk.absturztau.be
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       @jakmarcin@mstdn.science @randahl@mastodon.social @Paul_stilgar@mastodon.social Understandably those countries next to the border have a very good reason to be scared and spend more in the military, but that doesnt mean every country in the EU needs a 5% of their GDP in defense. I remind you the goal at first was 3.5 but then Rutte said 5 to make "Daddy Trump" happy.I remind you that even without the US, Europe has many countries, most of which are NATO members and even if the US does not participate, thats a lot against a country that can barely make any progress in Ukraine, a country with 10 times less defense than Russia. To me, it looks more like a deterrent than a real necessity.For Spain, commiting to the 5% in defense would mean reducing a lot of funds in social security and wellfares/retirement funds. We already raised the defense spending to a 2.1 this year.
       
 (DIR) Post #B55lmJloTGjsG08uI4 by ModestinoSycamore@mastodon.online
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       @enigmatico @randahl @jakmarcin @Paul_stilgar I would also like to point out that, according to the United States, any increase in European countries’ defence budgets must involve the purchase of American weapons. Buying European weapons – or from any country other than the US – is NOT at all looked upon favourably by the US administration.
       
 (DIR) Post #B55lmK4FMjU5BAld1U by enigmatico@mk.absturztau.be
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       @ModestinoSycamore@mastodon.online @randahl@mastodon.social @jakmarcin@mstdn.science @Paul_stilgar@mastodon.social Yup. That's the whole point. They wanted a 5% instead of a 3% because Trump would make more money with that, and the EU agreed to it not only because of the deterrent factor, but also because they wanted to please Trump to have his favor in case of a war. Not because we really need a 5%. Plus, every country's GPD is different, tieing the defense spending budget to the GDP is a bit stupid imho. Some countries could do with less and some countries would need way more than a 5% to match the average spending of the EU.And besides... not even the US spends a 5%.
       
 (DIR) Post #B568ytjEtz0QCWuGES by guetto@mathstodon.xyz
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       @jakmarcin @randahl @Paul_stilgar March 2026https://kyivindependent.com/zelensky-arrives-in-madrid-as-ukraine-spain-set-to-sign-defense-agreements/
       
 (DIR) Post #B568ytxm1wdEvbhrt2 by guetto@mathstodon.xyz
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       @jakmarcin @randahl @Paul_stilgar Nov 2025https://www.reuters.com/business/aerospace-defense/spain-announce-substantial-ukraine-aid-package-during-zelenskiy-visit-2025-11-18/
       
 (DIR) Post #B568yuAXGUq9ZBg3mK by guetto@mathstodon.xyz
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       @jakmarcin @randahl @Paul_stilgar May 2024https://www.politico.eu/article/spain-signs-security-agreement-with-ukraine/
       
 (DIR) Post #B568yuKSfamQ3yJzFY by CorioPsicologia@mastodon.social
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       @guetto @jakmarcin @randahl @Paul_stilgar And helping Ucranian people is also welcome refugees, something that Spanish goverment and spanish people has done.