The European Union has expressed full solidarity with Spain after US President Donald Trump threatened to cut trade ties with Madrid over its refusal to support Washington’s military actions against Iran.
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European Council President Antonio Costa said he had spoken with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez to convey the bloc’s united backing.
“The EU will always ensure that the interests of its member states are fully protected,” Costa said in a post on X.
Trump criticised Spain for declining to allow the United States to use the Rota naval base and Morón air base for operations linked to attacks on Iran. He also condemned Madrid’s refusal to join Nato allies in pledging higher defence spending.
“So we’re going to cut off all trade with Spain. We don’t want anything to do with Spain,” Trump said.
In response, the European Commission said it was prepared to defend the bloc’s interests. Commission spokesman Olof Gill stressed that the EU stands in solidarity with all member states and is ready to act if necessary to safeguard its economic interests.
Gill also noted that the EU and the United States concluded a major trade agreement last year and said Brussels expects Washington to honour its commitments under the deal.
French President Emmanuel Macron also voiced support for Sanchez, reaffirming France’s European solidarity in the face of what his office described as economic coercion.
Tensions between Washington and Madrid have also been fuelled by Spain’s opposition to Israel’s military operations in Gaza and its stance on Venezuela.
The dispute underscores growing strains in transatlantic relations as geopolitical tensions in the Middle East intensify.
