Navy

Spain ‘betrays NATO allies’ hosting Russian warships – oh, really?

Looks like Spain is in trouble. The country has been slammed for “betraying its NATO allies” allowing Russian Navy vessels to refuel in its North African territories – but in reality what the claim does is expose a massive web of hypocrisy.

Since 2011, Spain has rankled NATO by allowing 57 Russian warships, submarines and other vessels to refuel at its North African enclave of Ceuta, according to a report in the Times. Now the issue has been highlighted by US Congress after Republican Congressman Joe Pitts proposed an amendment to the annual defense bill which would require defense officials to “report on NATO countries that allow Russian warships to dock at their ports.”

Pitts is not a happy camper at all. Spain’s actions “undermine NATO’s solidarity”against Russia, while governments “across the globe” should be “isolating the Russian Navy, not accommodating it”, he writes.In fact, he goes on, NATO should have a“cohesive strategy” to deny Russia access to warm water ports.