(28 Jun 2022)
FOR CLEAN VERSION SEE STORY NUMBER:4386174
RESTRICTION SUMMARY:
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Madrid, Spain - 27 June 2022
1. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez enters room for interview, shakes hands with AP reporter Ciarán Giles and Aritz Parra Giles
HEADLINE: The AP Interview: Spain's Sánchez stresses NATO unity
2. Sánchez sits down for interview
3. Wide of AP reporter Ciarán Giles asking question UPSOUND (English) "What is the message that Spain wants NATO's Madrid summit to send to the world?"
4. SOUNDBITE (English) Pedro Sánchez, Spanish Prime Minister:
"A message of unity. I believe that this is a summit of democracies that want to send a message of unity in the defence of our common values, which are democracy, freedom, an international order based in the rule of law, and of course, our security, which is unfortunately under threat because of this illegal invasion of (Russian President Vladimir) Putin of Ukraine."
ASSOCIATED PRESS
ARCHIVE: Mariupol, Ukraine - 11 March 2022
5. Tank shell hits residential apartment block
6. Close of tank firing
ANNOTATION: NATO leaders are meeting in Madrid as the war in Ukraine continues for a fifth month. Sweden and Finland are seeking membership of the alliance.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Madrid, Spain - 27 June 2022
7. SOUNDBITE (English) Pedro Sánchez, Spanish Prime Minister: ++BEGINS ON PREVIOUS SHOT++
"Of course we would like to have an agreement in the Madrid summit between Turkey, and Finland, and Sweden. But if this is not the case, I believe that the conversations will go on, and I'm pretty sure that we will find an agreement sooner or later. Sweden and Finland are strong democracies, consolidated democracies that belong to the European Union and, of course, to this transatlantic alliance."
8. AP reporter Aritz Parra Giles asks question UPSOUND (Spanish) "I would like to ask what more is expected regarding (NATO's) deterrence, if there will be any further military reinforcement. Can you tell us a little bit about what is being considered and how you can prevent a message coming out of the summit that could be interpreted as an escalation of the conflict."
9. SOUNDBITE (Spanish) Pedro Sánchez, Spanish Prime Minister:
"I think from the outset, the NATO Secretary-General and all our allies have been very measured in our interventions, so as not to escalate this conflict. What is clear is that we have to send a message of deterrence to the Russian Federation and to Putin that obviously Article 5 can be activated if any allied country suffers from this very direct threat. I am thinking, for example, of the Baltic republics. We have to convey this message of deterrence, that we are prepared to defend every centimeter of territory in allied of countries."
STORYLINE:
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said the NATO summit in Madrid this week aims to showcase the Western allies' united front in defense of democratic values in the face of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, while increasing the bloc's deterrence capabilities.
In an interview with The Associated Press, he reiterated that the alliance would not tolerate any territorial aggression against its members.
"We have to transmit a message of deterrence, that we are ready to defend every centimeter of allied territory," Sánchez said.
A key issue will be boosting NATO's military presence on its eastern flank, as well as satisfying Spain's demand to not ignore budding threats on the southern fringe of the alliance, especially from unstable African areas such as the Sahel.
The force currently has about 40,000 soldiers.
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