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The president of the Government, Pedro Sanchez, stated this Thursday in an interview with TVE within the framework of the Madrid Summit that “we are at a defining moment of European peace”, after Russia has provoked “a war in a country that did not pose a threat”. The head of the Executive has reiterated Spain’s commitment to NATO and has expressed his willingness to increase up to 2 percent of GDP spending on Defense by 2029, in addition to “attracting all political forces”, also those that are furthest to the left of the PSOE, to a commitment without figures with the Atlantic Alliance.
“There are political parties that wonder why we have to increase investment in Defense.
NATO is an alliance of democracies and democracy must be defended. The Government of Spain has committed itself between now and 2029 to increase the percentage of Defense to around 2 percent,” the president stated. “Spain’s capacity for influence will also be measured by its commitment to Defense,” he added.
“In Wales, it was agreed to approximate defense budgets to 2 percent of GDP. Also increase our investment in Defense to over 20 percent, and, thirdly, the participation of our country in the Alliance’s missions. We fulfilled two of three. Therefore, we have to meet that goal [el 2 por ciento]it is a commitment in which all political forces have to be recognized, ”Sánchez recalled.
“This is a summit of democracies,” the president repeated, expressing unwavering Spanish support for Ukraine. “If we did not act in their defense, the cost and the price that we would be paying in the present and in the future would be much greater. Putin’s expansionist ambitions would not end in Ukraine. This is shared by the Baltic republics, Poland, Lithuania, and other countries that are knocking on the doors of NATO », he explained. “If Finland and Sweden join, it is not out of expansionist spirit, but because they want to defend themselves from a real threat, which is Russia presided over by Putin,” he said.
Fear of instability in Mali
Sánchez has also referred to the Spanish concerns expressed at the Madrid Summit. “In addition to the eastern flank, an important incorporation that we have achieved on the southern flank, because we are seeing how Russia is expanding through the Sahel, specifically Mali. Just as we are showing solidarity in the deployment of forces in the East, we would also receive help from the allies», commented the president.
Along the same lines, the Foreign Minister, José Manuel Albares, told RTVE that NATO “does not rule out” an intervention in Mali in case it is necessary, if instability in the Sahel becomes a threat.
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George is Digismak’s reported cum editor with 13 years of experience in Journalism