Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has announced a meeting scheduled for Thursday, involving the leaders of various political parties, excluding Vox, to discuss the government's forthcoming actions regarding support for Ukraine and the potential deployment of peacekeeping troops.

The meeting will also address military spending increases, which have been called for by both the European Union and NATO.

Sánchez emphasized the need for collaboration among European nations, stating that the current geopolitical climate necessitates a collective response to the challenges facing Europe.

He indicated that the meeting aims to exchange opinions and reflections on Europe’s challenges, along with laying out Spain's approach to these issues.

In his comments upon arrival at an emergency summit of European leaders in Brussels, Sánchez committed to providing 1 billion euros in aid to Ukraine this year, reinforcing Spain's strong support for Kyiv amid ongoing conflict.

While he did not expand on his government's position regarding the possible deployment of Spanish troops to Ukraine or elsewhere, he noted that discussions surrounding such decisions are premature given the evolving nature of the conflict.

Sánchez mentioned that France and the United Kingdom are already preparing for potential peacekeeping efforts and reiterated that Spain's primary concern must focus on current military aid rather than speculation about troop deployments.

Regarding military spending, Sánchez highlighted Spain's current expenditure level of 1.28% of GDP, the lowest among NATO's 32 member states, and stated that any plans to meet NATO's 2% defense spending guideline will not be in place until 2029. He suggested that the European Union needs to enhance its security and defense capabilities, expanding the security umbrella beyond Eastern Europe to include southern regions facing their own security challenges.

The Prime Minister described the current international situation as one in which the established order is deteriorating, calling for greater European unity to counter both internal and external threats.

In the lead-up to this meeting, Vox leader Santiago Abascal expressed his relief at being excluded from these discussions.

He criticized Sánchez for previously using consultations as a political tool, accusing him of leveraging crises to strengthen his position.

Abascal also expressed concerns regarding the opposition party, the Popular Party, and its interaction with Sánchez, indicating his opposition to any collaboration that may extend Sánchez's time in power.