Italy, Germany push NATO unity amid report US weighs move against Spain

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has urged NATO allies to stick together, after a report that the United States was mulling action against Spain over its refusal to support operations against Iran.

“NATO must remain united. I believe it is a source of strength,” Meloni told reporters as she attended an EU summit in Greek-administered Cyprus on Friday.

A German government spokesperson also said that Spain’s NATO membership was not in question.

The spokesperson was responding to a journalist’s question about a Reuters report citing an internal Pentagon email which lists Spain’s suspension from the alliance as an option under consideration.

“Spain is a member of NATO. And I see no reason why that should change,” the spokesperson said during a regular news conference in Berlin.

‘Not worried’

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, whose country was reportedly singled out for suspension, said on Friday he was “not worried”, stressing his country was a “reliable member” of NATO.

“Spain’s position is clear: full cooperation with allies, but always within the framework of international law,” he said.

Meanwhile, as Trump deepens questions over whether Washington would help defend NATO allies, the EU is set to lay out a “blueprint” for how its own mutual assistance clause works if a country is attacked.

Meloni insisted that NATO would remain central to Europe’s defence, but that European nations needed to play a bigger role in their own security.

“We must work to strengthen NATO’s European pillar which must clearly complement the American one,” she added.