Spain allows Russia to use its port

Spain has sparked an international outcry after it let Russian ships dock at its port in African exclave Ceuta.

The country has been accused of ‘absurdity and hypocrisy’ after allowing three Russian navy ships to dock in its North African territory.

UK MPs have criticized Madrid’s decision to allow the vessels, which included a heavily-armed destroyer, to take on food, fuel and supplies.

The ships docked in Ceuta just two weeks ago as tensions increased between NATO and Russia over the Ukraine crisis.  

Spain, which is a NATO member, is being accused of double standards as they form part of an alliance which is standing up against Russia over the ongoing Ukraine conflict.   

The Ceuta disclosure has highlighted Spain’s hypocrisy over Gibraltar and recent tension over British sovereignty while Spain persists in controlling Ceuta and Melilla, their territories some fifty miles away in Morocco.  

In Parliament last night (Wednesday) Conservative MP Andrew Rosindell said: “How is the defence alliance supposed to work if members of NATO behave like this?

“It is completely perverse and highlights the absurdity and short-sightedness of Spain’s position. We are supposed to be allies.

“It is also blatantly hypocritical to allow Russian warships to use a territory which is not part of mainland Spain while complaining to the UK about us having Gibraltar.

“Spain is going to achieve nothing by pursuing these shoddy and nonsensical policies.”

Just three weeks ago the Royal Navy sent destroyer HMS Dragon to track Russia’s Vice Admiral Kulakov as it approached British waters.

Although the Russian ship stopped short of entering British territorial waters military experts believe that Russia is testing out UK defences in the wake of the Ukraine crisis.