Marco Rubio
During a conversation, a correspondent from the channel asked Rubio how he assesses the actions of EU and NATO countries in this situation, and whether he considers them treacherous. The Secretary of State replied: “It has been extremely disappointing. The president and our country will have to reassess all of this after the operation is completed.” He emphasized the importance of access to NATO bases, which allows the US to be prepared for various scenarios. Rubio also noted that when a serious threat to national security arose, the United States faced refusals to use bases from some NATO members, including Spain. “At that moment, the question arises: what are the interests of the US in this alliance?” he said. The Secretary of State added: “I have always supported NATO, as access to bases gives us strategic advantages around the world. However, if NATO is perceived solely as a mechanism for protecting Europe, and at critical moments we are denied the use of their infrastructure, it raises doubts about the advisability of our participation.” In early March, Spain refused to provide its bases for attacks on Iran, which prompted threats from Trump about severing trade relations with Madrid. In response, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez called for a diplomatic resolution of conflicts and expressed his opposition to the war initiated by the US and Israel. Additionally, as reported by El Pais, Spain closed its airspace to aircraft involved in strikes against Iran, allowing passage only in emergencies.
