King of Spain warns that Europe will face 'more dangerous' world without US ties
Felipe VI calls for a transatlantic relationship based on 'respect and loyalty' amid rising tensions with Trump
King Felipe VI has emphasised the need for a relationship with the US based on "respect and loyalty," warning that without this bond, the West will be "condemned to a more uncertain, more unstable and more dangerous world."
Speaking at the European Parliament in Strasbourg on Wednesday to commemorate the 40th anniversary of Spain and Portugal joining the EU, the monarch focused on the need for Europe to "continue working on our defense and our strategic autonomy" while strengthening the European pillar within NATO.
In a veiled criticism of Trump and his escalating ambitions to take over Greenland, the king said that "force without principle is tantamount to barbarism" and hinted at the need for an adequate European response, as "mere principles, without actions to back them up, lead to frustration and disenchantment".
Amid geopolitical uncertainty, Felipe VI said that Europe "defends rules-based solutions and dialogue as the path to resolve conflicts and promote peace, stability and cooperation.
"It cannot accept or endorse geopolitical approaches from a bygone era as if they were signs of a new time."
The king against Euroscepticism
King Felipe VI stated that Europe "remains an ethical and political reference point", a place in the world that works towards equality, freedom and social justice in the darkest of times. "Our strength is our unity," he said.
At the same time, the king warned against Eurosceptic and populist tactics. "Criticism is positive if it leads to progress, because it can also jeopardise our principles and values. It is in forgetting what European integration means where our greatest weakness lies," the king stated.
According to the head of state, the European spirit is "the great shared heritage" of the EU bloc. "A project," Felipe VI said, "that has made us more prosperous, freer and even stronger."
In these 40 years, EU membership has been "a decisive factor in the transformation of Spain" and the country has also been a decisive factor in European development, defending social rights, the importance of southern countries and relations with Latin America and the Caribbean, among others.
"The situation that Europe is going through requires our joint commitment. We cannot take Europe for granted," he stated.
