Spanish Prime Minister Forced to Cancel Paris Trip Amid Aircraft Issues
PARIS – September 4, 2023 – Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez will participate virtually in today’s coalition summit in Paris after being forced to return to Madrid due to a technical problem with his aircraft, according to a representative from his office.
The incident comes after reports of GPS jamming impacting the aircraft of European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen,though officials have not linked the two events. Yesterday, a plane carrying Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda experienced delays landing at Vilnius airport due to a reported drone sighting.
Today’s meeting, bringing together approximately 30 world leaders with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, will focus on establishing future security guarantees for Kyiv, notably as clear commitments from the United States remain outstanding.
Reuters reports that Ukraine’s allies have finalized technical plans for these guarantees and are preparing a political message for the U.S. President. French President Emmanuel Macron confirmed the completion of security guarantee preparations,stating that allied contributions have been documented and approved by defense ministers.
The need for robust security assurances was underscored yesterday by Zelenskyy, who cautioned that European guarantees alone may be insufficient to deter potential renewed Russian aggression, emphasizing the critical importance of U.S. involvement.
