Political and diplomatic relations are fluid, but they are neither special nor truly strategic for either of the two countries. In fact, Spain does no appear to receive any significant benefit from its position. Until now, the impact of the EU-Russia sanctions on Spain has been moderate and highly concentrated in the agricultural sector. However, the consolidation and extension of the sanctions could have significantly negative effects, particularly in the fields of energy, railways and advanced technologies. Since the beginning of the last decade, Spanish exports to Russia grew continually until a peak value of 2.84bn in 2008. Though Russian tourism only accounts for 2.7% of total arrivals to Spain, the government sees it as a priority market with high expectations for the future. Russian investment in Spain is fairly residual and the greater part is directed to the attention of those Russians temporarily or permanently located in Spain. In its official narrative, Spain gives strategic character to its relations with Russia but there is an evident asymmetry in the degree of importance given to the relationship by one side and the other. The harmony between Madrid and Moscow materialises, for example, in the defence by Spanish diplomacy of the idea that Russia has"legitimate interests" in Ukraine. As a result, these"Russian interests" must be considered in any attempt to resolve the Ukrainian conflict sponsored by the EU. Spain has shown very little enthusiasm for the adoption of sanctions against Russia but does not want to appear to be a European partner that makes a habit of blocking consensus decisions