Mr. Sanchez has been fighting for his own political survival amid ongoing corruption scandals involving his wife and high figures of his own party, contracted China’s Huawei for the Spanish judicial wiretap system, and now echoes Russian narratives. This is a distraction from his own troubles imo. He is a disgrace for Spain and Europe.
Countries must also “face the reality that we have in the eastern flank of Europe, which is this neo-imperialism of (Russian President Vladimir) Putin, vis-a-vis countries such as Ukraine, but not create this false, or fake trade-off between aid and defense expenditure,” Sanchez said.
How does this “echo Russian narratives”? Or is anyone who questions unlimited spending automatically a Russian spy?
Oh, yeah, they don’t forget to mention the Russian threat - only then to immediately change the subject and criticize European spending.
It may help that Spain and Russia are geographically far apart and does not view Russia’s actions in Ukraine as a direct threat. The two countries have also limited economic relations. Just ~15% of Spain’s crude oil imports come from Russia, while Russian gas is not consumed at all in the Iberian peninsula. Back in June this year, however, Spain’s EU Commissioner Teresa Ribera tried loosen Brussels’ plan to ban Russian gas (you’ll find reports on that across the web).
Spain’s position even more resembles Moscow’s than the West’s on some major issues. Spain is one of only five EU countries that still hasn’t recognized the independence of Kosovo, and still rejects Kosovo’s EU candidacy.
Spain only reluctantly supported EU sanctions against Russia already after Moscow’s invasion of Crimea in 2014, swinging permanently between the ‘Russian threat’ narrative and an obvious desire to engage with Moscow (Russia returned the favor: Its counter-sanctions did not include Spanish wine and olive oil, only a few food exporter were affected, and Russian tourists continued to secure a steady income stream for Spain).
Mr. Sanchez has a similar stance when it comes to China as I mentioned above, often obstructing the common EU position.
Mr. Sanchez has been fighting for his own political survival amid ongoing corruption scandals involving his wife and high figures of his own party, contracted China’s Huawei for the Spanish judicial wiretap system, and now echoes Russian narratives. This is a distraction from his own troubles imo. He is a disgrace for Spain and Europe.
How does this “echo Russian narratives”? Or is anyone who questions unlimited spending automatically a Russian spy?
Oh, yeah, they don’t forget to mention the Russian threat - only then to immediately change the subject and criticize European spending.
It may help that Spain and Russia are geographically far apart and does not view Russia’s actions in Ukraine as a direct threat. The two countries have also limited economic relations. Just ~15% of Spain’s crude oil imports come from Russia, while Russian gas is not consumed at all in the Iberian peninsula. Back in June this year, however, Spain’s EU Commissioner Teresa Ribera tried loosen Brussels’ plan to ban Russian gas (you’ll find reports on that across the web).
Spain’s position even more resembles Moscow’s than the West’s on some major issues. Spain is one of only five EU countries that still hasn’t recognized the independence of Kosovo, and still rejects Kosovo’s EU candidacy.
Spain only reluctantly supported EU sanctions against Russia already after Moscow’s invasion of Crimea in 2014, swinging permanently between the ‘Russian threat’ narrative and an obvious desire to engage with Moscow (Russia returned the favor: Its counter-sanctions did not include Spanish wine and olive oil, only a few food exporter were affected, and Russian tourists continued to secure a steady income stream for Spain).
Mr. Sanchez has a similar stance when it comes to China as I mentioned above, often obstructing the common EU position.
Mr. Sanchez spreads Russian talking points here.