Spain, as the host of the upcoming NATO summit, will push for the inclusion of hybrid threats such as illegal migration, food insecurity and terrorism in the alliance's new political roadmap, Foreign Minister José Manuel Albarez said.

The June 29-30 summit in Madrid will be one of the most important since the creation of NATO in 1949. It will develop the Alliance's Strategic Vision for the next decade, outlining its mission against the backdrop of the war in Ukraine and the admission of new members Finland and Sweden, Reuters writes.

Spain wants NATO to pay more attention to non-military threats on its so-called southern flank, made up of the Maghreb and Sahel countries, Albarez said.

In recent weeks, NATO insiders have told Reuters, with active conflict on the eastern flank and regions like the Baltics demanding more resources, any firm commitment to the southern flank is unlikely.

Sources also said the migration issue was too divisive to reach consensus at the summit, even if Spain was supported by other southern European countries such as Portugal and Italy.

Albarez noted that simply including such hybrid threats in NATO's strategy, as well as referring to the southern flank as an area to watch, would be enough to have a deterrent effect.