The Minister for Defence, Margarita Robles, during her visit to the Spanish contingent stationed at the Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers (SHAPE) in Mons, Belgium
Spain actively participates in 9 of the Alliance's 11 missions, with more than 3,000 military personnel deployed from "Slovakia and Romania, to the Black Sea and the North Atlantic," said Minister Margarita Robles, who maintains that "by land, sea, or air, Spain's reliability and our commitment to peace and collective security are beyond question".
On this point, she highlighted the importance of the role played by personnel deployed at Alliance headquarters such as Naples, Brunssum, Norfolk, and SHAPE, where the Minister for Defence stated today that "Spain stands with NATO" and reiterated that "our Armed Forces are recognised by the Alliance members for their professionalism, capabilities, availability, and adaptability in any mission".
Before conveying these messages to the personnel deployed in Mons, Margarita Robles met with the Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR), General Alexus Grynkewich, with whom she reviewed the complexity of the current geopolitical situation, focusing on the Middle East, where Spain has supported the temporary withdrawal of the NATO mission from Iraq, although "we maintain our commitment to it and remain ready to assume command when security conditions are restored".
In this regard, and linked to the conflict in the Middle East, Robles urged everyone "not to forget Ukraine, which should not pay the price for the conflict in Iran. The support of NATO allies is vital to help its defence and to strengthen its position in any potential negotiations to achieve a just and lasting peace".
Minister Robles was accompanied by the Commander of Operations, Lieutenant General José Antonio Agüero.
Deterrence and defence
Currently, Spain's contribution to the multinational brigade in Lest represents the largest international deployment of the Armed Forces.
Around 800 military personnel and more than 200 vehicles are deployed in Slovak territory, where Spain is a framework nation.
Missions like this one, or any other Alliance mission, benefit from the support, coordination, and planning carried out at NATO headquarters, from where work is done to guarantee the preservation of peace, security, and the territorial integrity of the allies.
Non official translation