The Minister of Foreign Affairs, EU and Cooperation, José Manuel Albares, has stressed that both the EU and NATO «will spare no effort» to «guarantee the security of critical infrastructures» after the confirmation of the «attack» on the Nord Stream gas pipelines.
«Europe cannot be subjected to anyone’s gas blackmail,» Albares said in statements to the media during the 68th Annual Session of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly being held in Madrid.
Specifically, the head of the Spanish diplomacy has specified that since the explosions in the Swedish gas plant were known «there was no doubt» that it was an «attack». The Swedish authorities announced Friday that the explosions were deliberate.
On the other hand, he reiterated the concern of the allies for the situation in Ukraine, for which they want «peace to return as soon as possible» by putting an end to the «illegal, unjust and unjustified war» on the part of Russia.
This has been discussed in the Political Commission of the Parliamentary Assembly, in which Albares has intervened, who has reaffirmed in the meeting the «commitment of Spain» with the values of NATO «in these complex and convulsive moments in the world, probably the most complex since the fall of the Berlin Wall», he said.
SPAIN’S HELP TO UKRAINE «Spain is a reliable partner and committed to the values of the UN Charter», added the Minister, who also reiterated the support of the Spanish Government «to the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine».
In this regard, he recalled that in his recent visit to Kiev he transferred a package of humanitarian aid, 30 ambulances, and this Friday the Government sent a package of 14 generators in view of the «hard and difficult winter» that is coming to Ukraine. He also indicated that a team of the Spanish Judicial Police is «helping the Ukrainian Prosecutor’s Office to investigate the war crimes that are being committed».
Thus, Albares assured that the meeting has been a «fruitful exchange» with NATO members and «close» partner countries of the alliance, all with the aim of «advancing in the defense of values that are common» and «for peace to return to Ukraine».
On the other hand, questioned about the tragedy of the Melilla fence, the minister has asserted that the Government «is being totally transparent from the beginning regarding this event». «It is above all a human tragedy that moves us all, but we must understand the complexity of managing what is the most unequal border on the planet, that between the EU and Africa,» he added, to ensure that no one has addressed him on this issue.
