While Europe looks to Ukraine, the U.S. has sounded alarms for Spain on a closer front: the loss of its two autonomous cities

Spain is alarmed by signs in Washington that describe Ceuta and Melilla as Spanish-administered territories on Moroccan soil.

At the same time, Morocco is strengthening its military and diplomatic position, raising concerns in Madrid about future pressure on the two cities.

Spanish officials fear being left isolated in a changing Mediterranean security landscape, with weaker Western backing for their sovereignty claims.

The debate is prompting calls for a specific defense plan for Ceuta and Melilla, amid wider strategic uncertainty around the Strait of Gibraltar and the Western Sahara.