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The Russian-Ukrainian crisis escalates, Spanish warships sail to the Black Sea. PHOTO/Reuters
The ship was originally due to join a NATO mission in about three weeks, but its departure was accelerated as the crisis between Russia, Ukraine and their allies escalated.
Read: Danish warship joins NATO in the Baltic Sea, Russia-West tensions rise
The Spanish frigate will join Standing NATO Maritime Group 2 (SNMG2), which already includes Turkish and Italian warships, according to the NATO website. The group’s role is to provide NATO with an immediate operational response capability.
On Friday, Naval Commander Gonzalo Leira Neia told media the warship was combat ready and capable of quickly responding to any crisis that might arise. The ship is ready to stay in the region for more than two months.
Both the Spanish warship and the SNMG2 have previously directed efforts to combat piracy in the Gulf of Aden. This is not Spain’s only recent mobilization to the region.
Read: Russia says NATO is building troops near Belarus
Earlier this week, the Spanish patrol ship Meteoro also sailed into the Black Sea. Spanish Defense Minister Margarita Robles also announced that Spain offered to send fighter jets to Bulgaria.
“Spain is a committed member of NATO, but expects a diplomatic resolution to the crisis,” Robles said, as quoted by Anadolu Agency, Saturday (22/1/2022).
Preparations for this conflict, however, were already causing problems at home for Spain’s progressive ruling coalition. Unidas Podemos, the far-left junior coalition party, has expressed strong opposition to the deployment.
“We are heading towards an unresolvable conflict if we don’t focus on tension reduction and strategic autonomy to defend our own interests and values,” he said in a statement.
(esn)
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