Robles and her British counterpart underline the harmony between Spain and the UK in NATO and reiterate their strong support for Ukraine

This is the return visit of the British Defence Secretary's visit to Spain a year ago and comes just a few days after the two met at the last face-to-face meeting of the Ukraine Defence Contact Group, which took place in Ramstein (Germany) last Friday. The minister was accompanied by the Secretary General for Defence Policy, Admiral Juan Francisco Martínez Núñez, and the Spanish Ambassador to London, José Pascual Marco Martínez.

After being received with military honours at Wellington Barracks, the delegations exchanged views on the situation in Ukraine. In this respect, Robles reiterated the need to "continue to provide political, social and economic support and military assistance to the country, as we have been doing since the first moments of the brutal invasion, adapting it to the requirements expressed by the Ukrainian government".

In the same vein, Wallace declared that "contributing to Ukraine's freedom and dignity and helping it to defend itself, is a moral obligation", highlighting the "continued, strong and unequivocal" commitment of both countries and their "agility in response".

Sudan Evacuation

The two ministers also discussed the recent evacuation of civilian personnel from Sudan. The Spanish minister praised the excellent intervention of the Spanish Armed Forces in this operation, of which she is "very proud".

"The role of the Spanish Armed Forces has been magnificent, not only regarding the evacuation of Spanish citizens, but also of citizens from other countries in the EU and Latin America, which has highlighted Spain's commitment at all times when its citizens are at risk," said Robles.

Robles also highlighted the work of the ambassador and the diplomatic corps in Sudan, as well as the joint work of the Ministries of Defence and Foreign Affairs and the efforts of the Air and Space Army with the dispatch of five aircraft, "which have flown under risky conditions". She also made reference to the members of the Parachute Brigade and the Special Operations Team, "who have done essential and fundamental work in such a difficult and complicated context, where there was great risk to human lives".

"Hopefully the situation in Sudan can soon be brought back on track and calm will soon be reinstated," she said.

They then discussed priorities for the upcoming NATO Summit in Vilnius, Lithuania, and stability on the African continent. Despite the current situation, it is important for Spain to maintain both the focus on Deterrence and Defence against Russia and the breadth of vision to address challenges in all directions, including the Mediterranean and the South.

"We are aware of and share the same concerns in relation to Africa: the rapid proliferation of terrorism and corruption, the widespread weakness of the rule of law, and poverty," Wallace said, referring to the African continent, where Spain's commitment to stability and security is especially sensitive, particularly in the Sahel.

"The challenges there now require strategic patience and an adjustment of our actions to reduce tensions with some local governments," said Robles, who said she favoured waiting for the right moment to reactivate political dialogue and prevent the negative influence of actors such as Russia.

With regard to the prospects for the summit to be held in July, Minister Robles said that "Madrid launched a new and ambitious Security and Defence project in the Alliance, which we now need to deepen with criteria of realism and sustainability, and which requires our unity and cohesion". She also insisted on "continuing to deepen complementarity with the EU", not only by coordinating efforts in areas such as climate change, the defence industry, resilience and human security, but also as "the only solution" to strengthen cooperation in support of Ukraine.

Wallace acknowledged that "areas of cooperation have developed that are beneficial to the UK and the EU, for example in the defence industry, where we need to work together and keep the door open for future projects".

Before moving to St. James's Palace to conclude the visit with a working lunch, the two ministers had time to review some bilateral security and defence issues.

Non official translation