Spanish PM blasts ‘servile following’ over US-Israeli war on Iran

Pedro Sanchez doubled down on Madrid’s opposition to the conflict despite Trump’s threat to cut off trade with Spain

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has strongly condemned the US-Israeli military campaign against Iran, despite the threat by US President Donald Trump to cut off all trade with Madrid for refusing to allow Washington to use its bases.  

In a televised address on Wednesday, Sanchez declared Spain’s position in four words: “No to the war.” He warned that “this is how humanity’s great disasters start,” adding that “you cannot play Russian roulette with the destiny of millions.”  

Sanchez directly addressed the US threat to his country. “We are not going to be complicit in something that is bad for the world simply out of fear of reprisals from someone,” Sanchez said.  

“It is absolutely unacceptable that those leaders who are incapable of improving people’s lives use the fog of war to cover up their failures and line the pockets of the few, the usual ones,” Sanchez said in an apparent reference to Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.  

The Spanish leader also took aim at EU allies who have refused to stand up to Washington, stating that “it is naive to think that practicing a servile and blind following is a way to lead.”  

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The remarks appeared to be directed at German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, whom he described as a “terrible” ally for standing silently beside Trump at the White House on Tuesday as the US president threatened to cut off “all trade” with Spain.   

Rather than defend a fellow EU member, Merz agreed with Trump’s criticism of Madrid’s defense spending, and fell back on the typical NATO talking points, blasting Spain for refusing to commit to the military bloc’s target of 5% of GDP for annual defense spending.  

Last year, Sanchez rejected the 5% pledge as “unreasonable.” 

Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares expressed Madrid’s “surprise” at Merz’s conduct, stating he expected a certain level of “solidarity” and “could not imagine” former German Chancellors Angela Merkel or Olaf Scholz making “statements like that,” adding that there was “a different pro-European spirit back then.”