Spain slams EU over double standards on Gaza and Ukraine

Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has criticised Europe and the West for applying double standards to the wars in Ukraine and Gaza, warning it could undermine their global credibility.

Speaking to the Guardian on Wednesday ahead of talks with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Sanchez called Israel’s genocide war on Gaza “perhaps one of the darkest episodes of international relations in the 21st century.”

He said Europe’s response to the Israeli war on Gaza had been weak. “It is a failure,” Sanchez said. “Within the European Union, there are countries that are divided when it comes to how to influence Israel. But in my opinion, it’s not acceptable and we can’t last longer if we want to increase our credibility when it comes to other crises.”

Sanchez, the first senior European leader to describe Israel’s actions in Gaza as genocide, added: “The world is looking at the EU and also at western society and asking: ‘Why are you doing double standards when it comes to Ukraine and when it comes to Gaza?’”

He said Spain had advocated suspending the EU’s strategic partnership with Israel. “What we have done so far is advocate to suspend the strategic partnership that the EU has with Israel,” he said.