Morning opening: Spain dismisses suggestions it changed position on Iran
Spain has emphatically dismissed US suggestions that it changed its view on the Iran war and is now prepared to let the US use its bases to support the mission.
The White House press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, suggested to reporters last night that Madrid now backed the US’s military action after facing public criticism from Trump, who threatened to “cut off all dealings with Spain.”
“I think they heard the president’s message yesterday loud and clear,” Leavitt told a news briefing. “It is my understanding over the past several hours they’ve agreed to cooperate with the US military.”
Well, not really.
Our Madrid correspondent Sam Jones says her comments sparked another angry reaction from top Spanish politicians, with foreign minister José Manuel Albares telling Cadena Ser radio on Wednesday night:
“Our ‘no to war’ stance remains clear and unequivocal.
She may be the White House press secretary, but I’m the foreign minister of Spain and I’m telling her that our position hasn’t changed at all.”
Ouch.
In other news, EU foreign ministers are meeting virtually to discuss the latest in the region, as more and more countries begin their evacuation flights, with some even using military flights to get their citizens out.
More countries are also expected to decide about sending potential reinforcements to the region and to support EU ally Cyprus, with Germany reportedly considering such a move.
I will keep an eye on that.
It’s Thursday, 5 March 2026, it’s Jakub Krupa here, and this is Europe Live.
Good morning.
Key events
Ukraine ready to share expertise on fighting against Shaheds with Middle East partners, Zelenskyy says
Meanwhile, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Ukraine was ready to offer partners in the Middle East its practical support on fighting against Iranian Shahed drones.
In a post on X, he said a number of partner countries including the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait and Qatar were “seeking our expertise,” including a further request from Europeans and the US.
Oh, how the tables have turned.
“Of course any assistance we provide is only on the condition that it does not weaken our own defence in Ukraine and it serves as an investment in our diplomatic capabilities: we help protect against war those who help us, Ukraine, to bring the war to a dignified conclusion,” he added.
Zelenskyy also offered an update on the next round of trilateral talks with Russia and the US, which was planned for early March. He said he spoke with the US about potentially postponing the meeting “for a while due to the war in the Middle East,” and moving it to another location.
‘They know it’s not true,’ Spanish defence minister rejects US suggestions of U-turn on Iran
Sam Jones
in Madrid
Spain’s defence minister, Margarita Robles, has become the latest member of Pedro Sánchez’s government to emphatically dismiss White House suggestions that the administration has executed a U-turn and is now prepared to let the US use its bases to strike Iran.
Robles told Cadena Ser radio she did not know why the White House press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, had told reporters on Wednesday that Spain was now prepared to cooperate with the ongoing offensive.
She said:
“They know it’s not true. Words are just words. I’m not going to speculate; obviously, it could be a step backward they’re trying to take after President Trump’s inappropriate statements, but the facts are crystal clear. The Spanish government will not authorise the use of the Morón and Rota bases in this context.
We all understand that what is happening in Tehran is terrible, a violation of human rights. As a woman, I am particularly pained by the situation of women in Tehran, but no one can become the international guardian. There are norms, rules; even within the United States, congressional authorisation would have been required. Spain cannot support unilateral actions that lack support from international law.”
Robles also said the government’s position had been “crystal clear from day one”, adding:
“Ethically and legally, we are doing the right thing. We will always support peace scenarios because Spain only acts when there is an umbrella of international law within the frameworks of the UN, Nato, or the EU.”
Morning opening: Spain dismisses suggestions it changed position on Iran
Spain has emphatically dismissed US suggestions that it changed its view on the Iran war and is now prepared to let the US use its bases to support the mission.
The White House press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, suggested to reporters last night that Madrid now backed the US’s military action after facing public criticism from Trump, who threatened to “cut off all dealings with Spain.”
“I think they heard the president’s message yesterday loud and clear,” Leavitt told a news briefing. “It is my understanding over the past several hours they’ve agreed to cooperate with the US military.”
Well, not really.
Our Madrid correspondent Sam Jones says her comments sparked another angry reaction from top Spanish politicians, with foreign minister José Manuel Albares telling Cadena Ser radio on Wednesday night:
“Our ‘no to war’ stance remains clear and unequivocal.
She may be the White House press secretary, but I’m the foreign minister of Spain and I’m telling her that our position hasn’t changed at all.”
Ouch.
In other news, EU foreign ministers are meeting virtually to discuss the latest in the region, as more and more countries begin their evacuation flights, with some even using military flights to get their citizens out.
More countries are also expected to decide about sending potential reinforcements to the region and to support EU ally Cyprus, with Germany reportedly considering such a move.
I will keep an eye on that.
It’s Thursday, 5 March 2026, it’s Jakub Krupa here, and this is Europe Live.
Good morning.
