The Minister of Foreign Affairs, José Manuel Albares, held a meeting on Thursday with the Russian ambassador, Yuri Klimenko, to reproach him for his attacks on the Government. As EL MUNDO has confirmed through diplomatic sources, Albares summoned the diplomat in protest of a tweet attacking Margarita Robles. In the aforementioned publication on social networks, it was suggested that Spain had sent soldiers to fight in Ukraine, echoing a hoax.

Albares demanded during the meeting the withdrawal of the tweet and showed his strong rejection of this type of initiative. The Russian Embassy responded to the complaint and deleted the post within hours of tweeting it.

The Defense Minister, Margarita Robles, has been very forceful this Friday with Russia and its way of conducting diplomacy. “Foreign has done what it had to do”, has opined, on the performance of Albares. He then stated: “We all know that countries like Russia use all kinds of methods such as disinformation to try to undermine the unity between the countries that are part of the European Union and NATO.. But they won't get it.”

Yuri Klimenko was appointed Putin's ambassador at the end of November. The Russian has extensive experience in Spain and was consul of Barcelona during the process. Since his appointment, he has kept a low profile and public meetings with photographs with the diplomat have been avoided.