The Diplomat
Defence Minister Margarita Robles warned NATO yesterday that Spain could “veto” the adoption of the industrial plan at the next NATO summit if the Spanish arms industry is not included.
Robles made these statements on her arrival in Brussels to take part in the meeting of the Ukraine Defence Contact Group and the first session of the ministerial meeting of the North Atlantic Council, both at NATO headquarters in Brussels. He also held a bilateral meeting with Swedish Defence Minister Pal Jonson.
“Spain has shown itself to be a serious, reliable and committed ally and it is clear that it has to be at a meeting like this,” said Robles, a day after deciding not to take part in the NATO meeting with representatives of the European and American defence industry to work on Euro-Atlantic arms production plans, scheduled for yesterday, after realising that the Atlantic Alliance had not included Spanish companies among the 25 firms invited.
“Whatever NATO does in terms of the defence industry, Spain must be involved,” insisted the minister, who yesterday met with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg to express her unease and ask him to “reconsider”. Otherwise, she warned, Spain could “veto” the adoption of the industrial plan during the Vilnius summit, scheduled for July. With this plan, the Alliance hopes to increase arms production to cope with the depletion of its arsenals due to Russia’s war against Ukraine.
Spain is not the only country that has shown its dissatisfaction with a meeting that has left out 13 of the 31 allied countries. Although yesterday’s meeting with the companies was no more than an informal contact and no decision was expected, the absence of Spain, according to Margarita Robles, is a “bad starting point”. “We understand this plan needs to be further developed and cannot be considered approved until it is more precise,” but “the Spanish defence industry cannot be left out of a meeting of this importance,” she warned.
“It is clear that Spain has to be there, some Spanish company must be represented because the Spanish defence industry is very good, it creates a lot of innovation and technology and many jobs,” he continued. “Spain’s position is clear, anything that is done in NATO in terms of defence industry must include Spain,” he insisted.
New vehicles and tanks to Ukraine
During yesterday’s meeting of the Contact Group, Margarita Robles updated the status of Spain’s deliveries of material to Ukraine and announced the shipment of 20 TOA vehicles that will arrive in Poland on 19 June, which will be added to the 40 that have already been delivered, as well as the four Leopard 2A4 battle tanks that were under repair. He also announced the donation of a Role 2 plus hospital and the training in Spain of the Ukrainian military personnel who will take charge of this facility. He also highlighted the important role played by Spanish industries.
Later, he met with his Swedish counterpart, with whom he discussed the transfer of functions in the field of defence in view of the forthcoming changeover of the Presidency of the Council of the European Union between the two countries, and informed his colleague of Spain’s actions to support Sweden’s accession to NATO.
In the afternoon, during the first session of the NATO ministerial meeting, which was attended by the Ukrainian Minister of Defence, Oleksii Reznikov, and the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell. Robles expressed Spain’s support for a closer relationship between Ukraine and the Alliance, in particular by strengthening the Comprehensive Assistance Package for Ukraine. The NATO ministerial meeting will conclude today with other sessions in preparation for the Vilnius Summit in July.
