NATO members agreed to a big increase in their defence spending target to 5% of gross domestic product, as demanded by President Donald Trump, but Spain said it did not need to comply just days before a summit in The Hague meant to be a show of unity.

Spain reached a deal with NATO to be excluded from a 5% of GDP defense spending target, days before the military alliance's leaders will gather at a summit, Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said on Sunday.

Spain obtained an exemption from NATO’s ambitious defense spending target of 5% of GDP after several days of diplomatic wrangling that drew scorn from Donald Trump, right before leaders of the military alliance gather on Tuesday.