The King, after once again condemning Russia's "illegal and unjustifiable aggression against Ukraine", stressed this Sunday that the war, "far from damaging the unity and solidarity" of the NATO member countries, has "reinforced them extraordinary way." Together with Queen Letizia, Felipe VI has received at the Royal Palace a representation of the participants in the NATO Parliamentary Assembly that has been held since Friday in Madrid, in which around three hundred members of the parliaments of the thirty countries belonging to the Alliance and twenty associated countries.
The reception was also attended by the President of Congress, Meritxell Batet, the President of the Senate, Ander Gil; the President of the Parliamentary Assembly, Gerald E. Connolly, and the Defense Minister, Margarita Robles.
In his words before those present, the King expressed, first of all, his solidarity and that of Spain to the Ukrainian people. "Russia's illegal and unjustifiable war of aggression against Ukraine," he said, "has not only caused the sinister spread of death and destruction throughout its territory, but has also brought extremely serious damage to NATO's doorstep." serious and unacceptable for peace and a rules-based international order"
Felipe VI, after recalling that the war, which began nine months ago, has had "dramatic" consequences, wanted to highlight that, "however, this conflict, far from damaging transatlantic unity and solidarity, has reinforced them in an extraordinary way"
The King has also highlighted the importance of the work of the Parliamentary Assembly which consists of "guiding the Alliance and shaping its policies". The 68th NATO Parliamentary Assembly held in Madrid, coinciding with the fortieth anniversary of the incorporation of Spain into the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.
The assembly, whose first session took place last Friday, closes this Monday with the participation of the President of the Government, Pedro Sánchez, the NATO Secretary General, Jens Stoltenberg, and the President of Ukraine, Volodímir Zelensky, via videoconference. The meeting has convened in Madrid 269 parliamentarians from the 30 member countries and a hundred members of the Chambers of 25 partner countries to evaluate the application of the recommendations of the Assembly in the decisions that were adopted last June at the Summit of NATO regarding the new Strategic Concept, support for Ukraine and the response to the threat from Russia.
Several members of the Government participated in the sessions on Saturday and Sunday: the First Vice President and Minister of Economy and Digital Transformation, Nadia Calviño; the Minister of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation, José Manuel Albares; that of the Presidency, Relations with the Parliament and Democratic Memory, Félix Bolaños; Defense, Margarita Robles; and Science, Diana Morant.
