We can think of space as empty of objects, but this does not mean space itself is independent of objects and their relations

This is not to deny that Leibniz’s relationalism intersects with his understanding of the representation of space. He thinks that we must not be fooled by the fact that we can think of space as empty of objects into concluding that space itself is something independent of objects and their relations. As with all mere abstractions, we must not reify space.[12]