As summit host, Spain urges NATO to watch its southern flank
Associated PressBARCELONA, Spain — While Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is certain to dominate an upcoming NATO summit in Madrid, Spain and other member nations are quietly pushing the Western alliance to consider how mercenaries aligned with Russian President Vladimir Putin are spreading Moscow’s influence to Africa. “Each time I meet with NATO ministers, the support of the allies is total due to the instability that we see on the alliance’s southern frontier and especially the situation in the Sahel region right now,” Spanish Foreign Minister José Albares said. Former NATO Secretary-General Javier Solana said that Russia’s brutal military campaign in support of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad during his country’s long civil war left it emboldened. China only operates one acknowledged foreign military base, located in Djibouti in East Africa, But many believe its People’s Liberation Army is busy establishing an overseas military network, even if it doesn’t use the term “base.” NATO has invited the leaders of Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand to the summit to demonstrate its interest in the Asian-Pacific.
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