The wars in Ukraine and Gaza demonstrate the erosion of the international rules-based order, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said Thursday.
“We are in a moment when it seems like history is speeding up. This has been happening for years. With Ukraine, and also the war in Gaza, we are witnessing the erosion of the international order and multilateral spaces of diplomacy, peace and negotiation,” he told reporters in Brussels ahead of an EU leaders’ meeting on Ukraine and European security.
Sanchez warned that some countries, both within and outside Europe, seek to divide the European Union.
“It is important for us to offer certainties … a message of unity and strength,” he said.
While the EU has largely united in its support for Ukraine, Spain has stood out as a critical voice on human rights violations in Gaza.
“We have to remember that we are supporting Ukraine because we defend its territorial integrity, the right of the Ukrainian people to freely decide what to be and not to be a country or government in the hands of a foreign power,” Sanchez said.
He stressed that Europe’s priority should be continued military support for Kyiv.
“There is a lot of speculation, but it is premature to discuss Europe’s participation in a ceasefire or peace agreement because the context is still unknown,” he said, referring to discussions on peacekeeping troops in Ukraine.
Sanchez insisted that both Kyiv and Brussels must be involved in any peace negotiations, saying: “The peace in Ukraine is the security of Europe.”
He expressed confidence that the EU will overcome its current challenges by strengthening European defense and security. He also urged the bloc to consider security threats along its southern borders.
Sanchez announced plans to hold a domestic summit with all political groups in Spain-except the far-right Vox-to discuss the outcome of the recent meetings on Ukraine and EU defense.