The King calls on NATO leaders to maintain unity in the face of a "more uncertain and more dangerous" world

The King on Tuesday called on the allied leaders to maintain unity in the face of a "more uncertain, more complex and more dangerous" world, where old threats merge with new ones and "strategic optimism" has given way to "strategic realism". ”.

Before the leaders attending the NATO summit that opens this Wednesday in Madrid, Felipe VI recalled that "the war has returned to Europe" and that means, beyond the courage and dignity of the Ukrainian people, which he has praised, a “tragic failure for the world”.

"Russia's unjustifiable aggression against Ukraine is a flagrant violation of the territorial integrity of a sovereign state," said the King, in a speech delivered entirely in English, at the start of the dinner held at the Royal Palace.

“No country is oblivious to this war.

The same security of Spain and Western Europe also passes through Ukraine.

Those of us who believe in democracy, human rights and an open, rules-based international order must unite in support of the Ukrainian people,” she stressed.

More information

The NATO summit in Madrid, live

At the dinner, held in the gala dining room of the Royal Palace, 60 guests were invited: 14 presidents, 21 prime ministers, the president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, and the secretary general of NATO, Jens Stoltenberg, in addition of 18 companions.

The latter, however, stayed at the summit venue (the Madrid Trade Fair), explaining to the press the agreement between the presidents of Turkey and Finland and the Swedish prime minister that has allowed the entry of the two Nordic countries in the Alliance, after lifting its veto Ankara.

The King and Queen greeted the guests in the Throne Room, where they chatted cordially with the US president, Joe Biden, and his wife Jill -with whom Doña Letizia has visited an association for the fight against cancer and a reception center for Ukrainian refugees—, before moving on to the Hall of Columns and taking a group photo with the guests.

King Felipe VI pronounces a few words during the dinner that the Spanish monarchs offer to the heads of state and heads of government that participate in the NATO summit, in the Gala Dining Room of the Royal Palace, in Madrid.

Juanjo Martin (EFE)

View of the Gala Dining Room of the Royal Palace.

The King on Tuesday called on the allied leaders to maintain unity in the face of a "more uncertain, more complex and more dangerous" world, where old threats merge with new ones and "strategic optimism" has given way to "strategic realism". ”.

HOUSE OF HM THE KING / FRANCISCO GO (REUTERS)

Felipe VI accompanied by Queen Letizia (centre) and the President of the Government Pedro Sánchez (right), among other world leaders.

The King has recalled that "the war has returned to Europe" and that supposes, beyond the courage and dignity of the Ukrainian people, which he has praised, a "tragic failure for the world". Chema Moya (EFE)

At the dinner, held in the gala dining room of the Royal Palace, 60 guests were invited: 14 presidents, 21 prime ministers, the president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, and the secretary general of NATO, Jens Stoltenberg, in addition of 18 companions. HOUSE OF HM THE KING / FRANCISCO GO (REUTERS)

The King and Queen pose for a family photo during the reception that the monarchs offer to the heads of state and heads of government participating in the NATO summit.

Claudia Alvarez

The President of the Government, Pedro Sánchez, together with the French President, Emmanuel Macron, during the reception for the Heads of State and Heads of Government in the Throne Room of the Royal Palace. JUANJO MARTIN (EFE)

The King and Queen receive the President of the United States Joe Biden and his wife Jill Biden, in the Throne Room of the Royal Palace, in Madrid.

JUANJO MARTIN (EFE)

The King and Queen of Spain Felipe and Letizia pose with British Prime Minister Boris Johnson during the reception for the Heads of State and Heads of Government participating in the NATO summit, today Tuesday in the Throne Room of the Royal Palace in Madrid.

JUANJO MARTIN (EFE)

US President Joe Biden talks with Queen Letizia during the reception for the Heads of State and Heads of Government in the Throne Room of the Royal Palace. Claudio Alvarez

The US president, Joe Biden, met this Tuesday at the Royal Palace in Madrid with the King, who had already received the president upon his arrival at the Torrejón de Ardoz air base (Madrid). Juanjo Martin (AP)

The President of the United States, Joe Biden, greets the President of the Spanish Government, Pedro Sánchez, this Tuesday upon his arrival at La Moncloa. Claudio Alvarez

The President of the United States, Joe Biden, and the Head of the Spanish Government, Pedro Sánchez, this Tuesday during the joint press conference held in La Moncloa.E.

Vine (Europa Press)

Joe Biden and King Felipe VI, this Tuesday at the Royal Palace in Madrid.

JUANJO MARTIN (AP)

The President of France, Emmanuel Macron, together with his wife, Brigitte Macron, this Tuesday upon his arrival at the Torrejón de Ardoz Air Base. Sergio Pérez (EFE)

Pedro Sánchez receives Joe Biden in La Moncloa, this Tuesday. Claudio Alvarez

Felipe VI and President Biden chat at the foot of the runway at the Torrejón de Ardoz air base, in Madrid, this Tuesday. HOUSE OF HM THE KING / FRANCISCO GO (via REUTERS)

The President of the Spanish Government, Pedro Sánchez, and the Prime Minister of Iceland, Katrín Jakobsdóttir, during their meeting this Tuesday in La Moncloa.GABRIEL BOUYS (AFP)

The President of the Government, Pedro Sánchez, waits to receive the President of the United States, Joe Biden, this Tuesday at La Moncloa.E.

Vine (Europa Press)

Two agents of the Civil Guard adjust their uniform, in great gala, before Biden's arrival at La Moncloa. Claudio Alvarez

The 'Cadillac One', the car of the president of the United States, upon his arrival at La Moncloa. Brais Lorenzo (EFE)

Boris Johnson, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, gets off the plane at the Torrejón de Ardoz air base in Madrid on Tuesday.

JJGuillen (AP)

King Felipe VI receives the President of the United States, Joe Biden, at the Torrejón de Ardoz air base, in Madrid, this Tuesday.

JONATHAN ERNST (REUTERS)

King Felipe VI and the President of the United States, Joe Biden, talk on the tarmac of the Torrejón de Ardoz air base, in Madrid, this Tuesday.

JONATHAN ERNST (REUTERS)

Elite groups of the Civil Guard observe the arrival of US President Joe Biden's plane, the 'Air Force One', this Tuesday at the Torrejón de Ardoz Air Base, in Madrid. NACHO DOCE (REUTERS)

Felipe VI and the US president, Joe Biden, chat at the foot of the tarmac at the Torrejón de Ardoz air base, in Madrid, this Tuesday. Susan Walsh (AP)

US President Joe Biden descends from 'Air Force One' upon his arrival at the Torrejón de Ardoz air base in Madrid on Tuesday.

NACHO TWELVE (REUTERS)

The Swedish Prime Minister, Magdalena Andersson, and the Turkish President, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, shake hands after talks on the application for Sweden and Finland to join NATO, this Tuesday in Madrid. Henrik Montgomery/TT (EFE)

The President of Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, this Tuesday upon his arrival at the Torrejón de Ardoz Air Base, in Madrid, to attend the NATO summit. Sergio Pérez (EFE)

The head of Spanish diplomacy, José Manuel Albares, King Felipe VI and the Minister of Defense, Margarita Robles, are preparing for the arrival of the President of the United States, Joe Biden, in Torrejón de Ardoz, in Madrid, this Tuesday.

BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI (AFP)

The President of the Government, Pedro Sánchez, and his New Zealand counterpart, Jacinda Ardern, officially launched this Tuesday the so-called Global Values ​​Association, which aims to work towards strengthening democracies and rights and achieving greener and more inclusive societies .

In the photo, Sánchez and Ardern exchange jerseys of the national soccer teams.

GABRIEL BOUYS (AFP)

Pedro Sánchez speaks with the Secretary General of NATO, Jens Stoltenberg, at the facilities of the Atlantic Alliance summit, in Ifema, this Tuesday.Claudio Alvarez

The President of the Spanish Government, Pedro Sánchez, receives the Secretary General of NATO, Jens Stoltenberg, this Tuesday in Madrid. Claudio Alvarez

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese (left) is received by Pedro Sánchez during a bilateral meeting prior to the NATO summit in Madrid on Tuesday. DPA via Europa Press (Europa Press)

The President of the Spanish Government, Pedro Sánchez, and the Secretary General of NATO, Jens Stoltenberg, visit the facilities of the Ifema site where the NATO summit will be held this Tuesday in Madrid. Claudio Alvarez

The President of the Government of Spain, Pedro Sánchez, and his Australian counterpart, Anthony Albanese, participate in a meeting before the NATO summit, this Tuesday at the Palacio de La Moncloa, in Madrid. GABRIEL BOUYS (AFP)

The President of the Spanish Government, Pedro Sánchez, receives the Prime Minister of New Zealand, Jacinda Ardern, this Tuesday at the Palacio de la Moncloa, within the framework of the NATO summit that is being held in Madrid until Thursday.

Juan Carlos Hidalgo (EFE)

The President of the Spanish Government, Pedro Sánchez, and the Secretary General of NATO, Jens Stoltenberg, appear together this Tuesday, the day on which the Atlantic Alliance summit opens in Madrid, which will end on Thursday. Manu Fernandez ( P.A.)

The King stressed that the Royal Palace had never brought together so many Heads of State and Government, although Spain already hosted a NATO summit a quarter of a century ago, in 1997, when there was "strategic optimism" after the fall of the Berlin Wall and the dissolution of the Soviet Union.

Felipe VI has assigned duties to the allied leaders, to whom he has pointed out that the Madrid Summit must provide "the necessary conviction, guidance and instruments" to adapt to the new reality, not only with the approval of the new Strategic Concept, the NATO's roadmap for the next decade, but rather a set of instruments to strengthen its deterrence and defense capacity, consolidate the strength of its societies, maintain its technological advantage, prepare for the impact of climate change and equip the Alliance of the “necessary resources”.

“Unity has been the key to NATO's success throughout its history and is a fundamental value today.

[…] Nowhere will this be more evident than at this summit”, he underlined.

The dinner at the Royal Palace was the prelude to the summit that will take place in the Spanish capital for two days.

Once the Turkish veto has been overcome, NATO will formally invite Sweden and Finland to join the organization, a process that will take several months, as it must be ratified by the Parliaments of the 30 member countries.

The enlargement of NATO, which will double its kilometers of land border with Russia, going from 1,300 to 2,600, will be one of the highlights of the Madrid summit, but not the only one.

It is expected that the Atlantic Council, meeting at the level of heads of state and government, will give the green light to the Madrid Strategic Concept, which will replace the Lisbon one, approved in 2010, and will make Russia, then seen as a partner, the main threat for the safety of the allies.

China will not appear on the same level, but as a rival and challenger, and the Sahel as the epicenter of jihadist terrorism, after its retreat in Syria and Iraq.

For the first time, the defense of the "sovereignty and territorial integrity" of the Alliance countries will be included among NATO's missions, which for Spain reinforces the protection of Ceuta and Melilla,

excluded from the area defined by the Washington Treaty.

And there will also be a special focus on hybrid threats, from disinformation to cyber attacks, including the use of illegal immigration and energy supplies as political weapons.

The images, the gestures and the anecdotes during the gala dinner

The King and Queen together with the British Prime MinisterPhoto: JUANJO MARTÍN / EFE |

Video: EPV

NATO will approve a notable reinforcement of its deployment in Eastern Europe, converting into brigades (about 3,500 troops each) the eight combat groups (about 1,200 soldiers) deployed in the closest allies to Russia (the three Baltics, Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Bulgaria and Romania).

And it will raise its reaction force to 300,000 troops, which will force it to improve the training, enlistment and equipment of a large part of the allied armies, substantially increasing defense budgets.

The Heads of State and Government will launch the innovation fund, a hotbed of new technologies initially endowed with 1,000 million dollars;

and they will hold a meeting with the four Asia-Pacific partners (Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand), with whom they will discuss "global challenges," a euphemism for China.

For their part, the NATO foreign ministers will share dinner with their counterparts from Jordan and Mauritania, in an attempt to make NATO a reality at 360 degrees, pending threats from anywhere, not just from the East.

It will be difficult, however, for any other issue not to be overshadowed by the war in Ukraine.

Although it is not expected that President Volodímir Zelenski will attend Madrid, he will intervene by videoconference;

All international information on