Spain is sending a battery of surface-to-air missiles and round 100 troops to the NATO ahead presence mission in Latvia, becoming a member of some 500 compatriots already current within the Baltic state, El Pais reported Saturday.
The Spanish defence ministry “plans to deploy in Latvia a battery of surface-to-air NASAMS,” or Norwegian Advanced Surface to Air Missile System, El Pais stated as NATO beefs up its presence within the Baltic area within the face of Russia’s offensive in Ukraine.
“Our commitment to NATO is total,” Defence Minister Margarita Robles advised Spanish tv in addressing the report.
“We have troops at the moment in Latvia and also in Lithuania, we have our ships in the Mediterranean,” Robles stated as she careworn Madrid’s “maximum readiness” to step up its contribution to the Western navy alliance’s present of energy designed to discourage potential Russian incursions into its former Soviet-era zone of affect.
Robles was talking as she attended an armed forces day navy parade within the northern city of Huesca, forward of the fortieth anniversary of Spain’s incorporation into NATO on May 30, 1982.
After Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24, Spain introduced it was sending 150 further troops to Latvia to beef up an preliminary 350-strong contingent deployed in 2017 as NATO responded to Russia’s 2014 annexation of Crimea by deploying battle teams on the physique’s jap flank.
Spain additionally pledged after the Russian invasion to provide offensive navy {hardware} to Ukraine after initially suggesting it will solely provide navy help as a part of an EU package deal.
“When we defend Ukraine we are defending our values of democracy,” stated Robles, including Madrid was in so doing standing up in opposition to the “cruelties” of the Russian regime.
Source: www.thehindu.com
