For the government spokesperson, Isabel Rodríguez, “it has not been long since there has been such an extraordinary relationship” with the United States. He said this on Tuesday at the press conference held after the Council of Ministers, with questions about the controversial detail that Pedro Sanchez was not called by the US President, Joe Biden, to talk about the Ukraine crisis.
Biden made a round of video calls to discuss the situation with the British Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, the German Chancellor, Olaf Scholz, the Italian Prime Minister, Mario Draghi, and his Polish colleague, Adrzwj Doubt. This round of contacts also included the Secretary General of NATO, Jens Stoltenberg, the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen and the President of the European Council, Charles Michel, but not to the Spanish president, despite the proactive attitude of compliance with the Atlantic Alliance he has shown since the beginning of tensions with Russia, and despite the fact that this year Spain will host the NATO summit for the second time.
The spokesperson minister assured that in the Executive Committee they feel “absolute participants and co-authors of the decisions” that Western powers are tackling the Ukraine crisis. For Rodríguez, Spain is “perfectly represented” in that round of contacts by the US president due to the fact that Biden has called leaders from the G7, the European Commission, NATO and the OSCE. He quoted this last organization with reference to the contact with the Polish Prime Minister.
Prior to that appearance, this Tuesday morning, while evaluating the need to respond to the criticism that provoked Biden’s circumvention, government sources had already underlined the importance of other contacts that the spokesperson also pointed out: the ministerial meeting of foreign affairs José Manuel Albareson January 16 with the US Secretary of State, Anthony Blinken, and the presidents of the U.S. Congress and Senate. The appointment with Blinken was, Rodríguez said, “a very important meeting.”
“We feel part of the decision-making process,” the minister reiterated, referring to the allies’ agreement: “We are pleased that there is an absolute consensus”, a unity in the defense of diplomatic action “, said. And that consensus, which is “European unity” and “Atlantic unity”, coincides with the Government’s position: “Spain works for peace through diplomatic action”, assures Isabel Rodríguez, within a framework of agreement on the “need for discouragement”. and the defense “. of international law “.
“In the middle of the circuit”
Also this Tuesday, before this appearance, the Minister of the Presidency, Relations with the Courts and Democratic Memory, Felix Bolanos, ensured that Spain is “in the middle of the decision-making circle” over the conflict in Ukraine, reports EFE. Bolaños reacted this way, in an interview on TVE, when asked if they were upset that Pedro Sánchez was not on Joe Biden’s video calls.
“We have a very fluid relationship with our allies and partners. There are constant conversations (…). We are in the middle of the decision-making circle. We have information, we are constantly coordinated, ”he emphasized.
The important thing, he continued, is to continue to bet on diplomacy to guarantee international legality, which, in his opinion, requires deterrence measures and a single position in the EU and in NATO as a whole.
Contact Sanchez-Biden
On the question of whether there is room for a call to take place between Sánchez and Biden in the coming days, he emphasized that calls are constantly being made between Spain and the USA. “The level of information and coordination is complete,” he added.
Asked about the differences within the government over Spain’s role in the Ukraine conflict, Bolaños insisted that “foreign policy be determined by the Prime Minister.” “I sincerely do not believe that there have been any inconsistencies in the government, basically because we are all committed to diplomacy, we are all avoiding conflict and we are all (…) in not going to war,” he said. he said.
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After believing that what they are ultimately doing with their government partner is “a policy and some statements that go in the same direction”, the minister avoided commenting on the criticism of former Vice President Pablo Iglesias. “Allow me not to comment on rallies, I comment on the government’s actions, which bet on diplomacy,” he concluded.
Reference-www.elperiodico.com