US flag . File photoWASHINGTON, Jun 28The United States intends to increase the number of American warships at a naval base near the Spanish city of Rota, strengthening military cooperation with Spain, the two countries said in a joint declaration following talks between US President Joe Biden and Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez. «Spain and the United States intend to expand military cooperation by additional deployment of US warships in Rota. Both states intend to maintain regular meetings within the framework of the bilateral defense group to strengthen cooperation in defense,» the document says.
Ambassador to Spain advised Russians not to travel to Madrid during NATO summit Earlier Tuesday, US national security adviser Jake Sullivan said Biden plans to announce an increase in the number of US anti-submarine ships in Spain from four to six. The declaration also identifies the US and Spain as allies and strategic partners that condemn Russia's military actions in Ukraine, continue to support the Ukrainian government and reaffirm their readiness to provide the necessary capacities to strengthen NATO. «The United States and Spain note the importance of joint action to improve energy security in Europe and reduce dependence on Russian natural resources,» — also indicated in the document. The NATO summit takes place in Madrid from June 28-30. It is planned to be attended by about 40 heads of state and government, including 30 allied countries, four invited countries of the Asia-Pacific region (Australia, New Zealand, Japan and South Korea), four other EU member states, but not the Alliance, as well as heads European Commission and European Council. Moscow has repeatedly noted that the alliance is aimed at confrontation. As the press secretary of the President of the Russian Federation Dmitry Peskov emphasized, further expansion of the bloc will not bring greater security to Europe. Earlier, the Russian Foreign Ministry said that Moscow remains open to dialogue with NATO, but on an equal footing, while the West should abandon its policy of militarizing the continent. The ministry also said earlier that all the practical cooperation that had been built up over the years, the alliance had long since collapsed. Russia launched a military operation in Ukraine on February 24. President Vladimir Putin called its goal «the protection of people who have been subjected to bullying and genocide by the Kyiv regime for eight years.» According to the Russian Ministry of Defense, the Armed Forces strike only at the military infrastructure and Ukrainian troops and, as of March 25, they have completed the main tasks of the first stage — they have significantly reduced the combat potential of Ukraine. The main goal in the Russian military department was called the liberation of Donbass.
