EU pressures Spain over Ceuta migrant crisis

In early August 2026, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen sent a letter to Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez urging Spain to accept special measures to address the migrant crisis in Ceuta, including border fences and reinforced border controls. The letter also warned against any use of irregular migration as a tool of pressure, implicitly targeting Morocco. Meanwhile, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has been seeking to isolate Spain within the EU, criticizing Sánchez's handling of the situation. Estonia joined other EU leaders in pressing Spain to take action. The crisis has highlighted tensions among EU member states over migration policy.