The differences with the response to the war in Ukraine have raised the tension within the coalition government to the point that in the last 48 hours two prominent members of the socialist wing have responded with unusual harshness to Podemos for sowing doubts about a shipment of troops Spanish to the conflict. If on Sunday, the Foreign Minister accused Ione Belarra of spreading “hoaxes”, today it was the Defense Minister who reproached him for giving his opinion on this issue without knowing about him.
“That member of the Government of her area will know a lot but of other areas she will not know anything,” replied Margarita Robles, who stressed that she applies “prudence” when making “considerations” precisely when she has to leave to assess foreign aspects to your area.
The commotion in the socialist wing of the Executive stems from some controversial statements by Belarra last Friday, in which the Minister of Social Rights made statements and insinuations that have been strongly criticized not only by politicians or experts on the war in Ukraine, but even by figures like chef José Andrés.
To begin with, Belarra assured that it had been a “mistake” to have sent weapons to the Ukrainians for the defense of their country because “it has not helped Ukraine at all.” Contrary to the widespread belief that it was precisely these weapons that have slowed Russia down and prevented Putin from quickly taking control of the country. The other sentence of the controversy of the general secretary of Podemos was her when she encouraged the thesis of sending Spanish soldiers to war. She warned that first it was said that we were never going to send offensive material to Ukraine. For later yes, and then anti-aircraft missiles and tanks have followed, and now there is talk of fighters. “What’s next? Spanish soldiers in the Ukraine?” she said.
It is not the first time that he hints at that shipment. She said it herself a week before, although with little echo. Now, that it has had it, the Government has come out to nip that speculation in the bud. Robles had already replied that “never, never” would Spanish soldiers be sent to Ukraine. But this Monday, in an interview in La Sexta, collected by Europa Press, he also attacked his partner, saying that the approach is “devoid of any sense.” “I don’t know the hidden reasons why he wants to say it, but it does not correspond to reality, it is not a possible scenario and it will never happen,” he stressed.
Podemos insisted today on his insinuation and justifies it in the “precedent” of sending tanks. At the same time, he criticizes the shipment of arms because the path to peace will only be achieved through negotiation. Minister Robles replies: «In my defense of peace I am not going to accept lessons from anyone. Because we are with peace, with those who suffer violence, who are suffering permanent attacks. Ukrainian children and raped women require special protection.”
For his part, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, José Manuel Albares, was emphatic on Sunday: “Anyone who wants to make believe or pass on the message that there is some planning to send troops is launching a true hoax.”
According to the criteria of The Trust Project
