Spanish Defence Minister Margarita Robles said on Friday her country is totally committed to NATO, a day after Madrid asked the alliance to be exempted from the proposed increase in the defence spending target to 5% of gross domestic product.

Spain is threatening to derail a Nato summit intended to appease Donald Trump by refusing to commit to the US president’s request for allies to increase their defence spending to 5 per cent of GDP.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has asked NATO to exclude Spain from raising its defence spending target to 5% of gross domestic product, according to a letter sent to NATO chief Mark Rutte seen by Reuters on Thursday.