It's become a joke - through gritted teeth - these days in EU circles, that whenever leaders meet, as they did these last two days in Cyprus - expecting to discuss practicalities, such as the new EU budget - they get railroaded by yet another crisis. There is the ongoing energy crisis provoked by the US-Israel war on Iran, Russia's aggression in neighbouring Ukraine, now in its fourth year. And this Friday morning, souring relations between Europe and the United States, along with a potentially devastating defence impact, reared its Medusa-like head. Again. 'No worries,' Spain's determined-to-appear calm prime minister, Pedro Sanchez, said to waiting journalists as he arrived at the leaders' summit. 'We are fulfilling our obligations toward Nato.' What did he feel compelled to say he wasn't fretting about? An email, originating from the US Pentagon and first reported by Reuters, had leaked, suggesting measures for the US to punish allies it believed had failed to support the US-Israel campaign against Iran. The email said the US could seek to suspend Spain from NATO over its stance. Fellow EU leaders at the Cyprus summit quickly leaped to Spain's defence. Dutch prime minister Rob Jetten emphasized that Spain was, and would remain, a full NATO member, while a high-ranking German official reinforced this sentiment. While Italian premier Giorgia Meloni criticized the tensions between Washington and Madrid, growing public opinion in Italy has turned against Trump, putting her in a difficult position. The leaked Pentagon email has raised significant questions about the dynamics of NATO, with leaders pondering whether certain punitive measures will damage transatlantic relations. Thus, concerns surrounding the potential impacts on NATO's cohesion and stability continue to be a pressing issue for Europe.