It's become a joke - through gritted teeth - these days in EU circles, that whenever leaders meet, as they did these last two days in Cyprus - expecting to discuss practicalities, such as the new EU budget - they get railroaded by yet another crisis. There is the ongoing energy crisis provoked by the US-Israel war on Iran, Russia's aggression in neighbouring Ukraine, now in its fourth year. And this Friday morning, souring relations between Europe and the United States, along with a potentially devastating defence impact, reared its Medusa-like head. Again.
'No worries,' Spain's determined-to-appear calm prime minister, Pedro Sanchez, said to waiting journalists as he arrived at the leaders' summit. 'We are fulfilling our obligations toward NATO.' What did he feel compelled to say he wasn't fretting about? An email, originating from the US Pentagon and first reported by Reuters on Friday had leaked, suggesting measures for the US to punish allies it believed had failed to support the US-Israel campaign against Iran. The email said the US could seek to suspend Spain from NATO over its stance.
There is actually no provision in the NATO treaties to expel a member country. And any action to bar Spain from filling key civilian or military roles in NATO, also alluded to in the email as possible punitive action, would have to be taken unanimously amongst all NATO members. Fellow EU leaders, at the Cyprus summit, who are also in NATO, leaped to Spain's defence. Dutch prime minister Rob Jetten said he wanted to be 'crystal clear' that Spain was and would remain a full NATO member. He said European countries were currently 'doing a great deal to strengthen NATO'. That, he said, was also in America's interest.
While Italian premier Giorgia Meloni criticized the tensions between Washington and Madrid as 'not at all positive', many other leaders expressed solidarity with Spain. This situation arises amidst concerns about a growing military threat from Russia and the ramifications of the ongoing Iran conflict, casting shadows over NATO's long-term stability. With a possible shift in alliances and public opinion against Trump's administration, the future of NATO relations remains uncertain.
'No worries,' Spain's determined-to-appear calm prime minister, Pedro Sanchez, said to waiting journalists as he arrived at the leaders' summit. 'We are fulfilling our obligations toward NATO.' What did he feel compelled to say he wasn't fretting about? An email, originating from the US Pentagon and first reported by Reuters on Friday had leaked, suggesting measures for the US to punish allies it believed had failed to support the US-Israel campaign against Iran. The email said the US could seek to suspend Spain from NATO over its stance.
There is actually no provision in the NATO treaties to expel a member country. And any action to bar Spain from filling key civilian or military roles in NATO, also alluded to in the email as possible punitive action, would have to be taken unanimously amongst all NATO members. Fellow EU leaders, at the Cyprus summit, who are also in NATO, leaped to Spain's defence. Dutch prime minister Rob Jetten said he wanted to be 'crystal clear' that Spain was and would remain a full NATO member. He said European countries were currently 'doing a great deal to strengthen NATO'. That, he said, was also in America's interest.
While Italian premier Giorgia Meloni criticized the tensions between Washington and Madrid as 'not at all positive', many other leaders expressed solidarity with Spain. This situation arises amidst concerns about a growing military threat from Russia and the ramifications of the ongoing Iran conflict, casting shadows over NATO's long-term stability. With a possible shift in alliances and public opinion against Trump's administration, the future of NATO relations remains uncertain.
