Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez expressed his readiness to send peacekeeping troops "to Palestine", "when the opportunity arises," as he plans to do in Ukraine, Agence France-Presse reported, BTA reported.
"I will propose to parliament, when the opportunity arises, that we deploy peacekeeping troops to Palestine, when we finally see how to advance in this task of peacemaking and in the medium term or, hopefully, more quickly recognize the two states, Israel and Palestine," Pedro Sanchez said in a New Year's address to Spanish ambassadors gathered in Madrid.
"As I stated on Tuesday in the French capital Paris, in this so "critical, but I would say - and decisive moment for achieving peace, we will continue to support Ukraine for as long as necessary", Pedro Sánchez also assured, returning to the meeting of the "Coalition of the Willing", which took place in France.
"In this new definition of the architecture of European security, Spain, for the first time in its history, is finally actively participating not only in its creation, but also in its imposition. This is what I will propose to Congress", he added, before reiterating his readiness to send soldiers to Ukraine.
"If Spain has sent peacekeeping forces to many geographical areas distant from our country, how can we not send peacekeeping forces to Ukraine, which is a European country?", he asked.
"Of course, we are not forgetting Palestine and the Gaza Strip", the socialist leader continued. "Spain must actively participate in restoring this hope in Palestine. The situation there remains intolerable," he added.
"Without a doubt, an independent, viable and secure Palestinian state would be the solution for the stabilization, development and progress of an important region, also from a geopolitical and geostrategic point of view, for our continent and for our country," he continued.
The Spanish government, which recognized the state of Palestine in 2024, has been one of the most outspoken European countries since the start of the Israeli military offensive in the Gaza Strip, which began after the attack by "Hamas" on October 7, 2023 in Israel, AFP recalls.