Headquarters of the European Commission, Brussels (Belgium)
The President of the Government of Spain, Pedro Sánchez, greets the President of the European Commission, Ursula Von der Leyen (Pool Moncloa/Fernando Calvo y Pool UE)
The President of the Government of Spain, Pedro Sánchez, has held a working meeting in Brussels with the President of the European Commission, Ursula Von der Leyen. This is the president's first bilateral meeting with Von der Leyen since she renewed her mandate.
At the meeting, the leaders addressed a number of issues, starting with the tariff war. Pedro Sánchez conveyed to Von der Leyen his support for the ongoing negotiations and reiterated the need to maintain an EU response based on unity and reciprocity.
The two leaders also discussed the need to extend the Iberian Peninsula's electricity interconnections with the rest of Europe, the urgency of completing the trade agreement with Mercosur, and the need to deploy an ambitious housing policy from the Commission.
On defence matters, the two reviewed EU initiatives to strengthen the continent's security and world stability. The president stressed Spain's commitment to the defence of Ukraine and the eastern flank of Europe, recalling that our country has more than 3,000 military personnel deployed in operations abroad, and invests almost ten times more than the NATO average in peacekeeping operations. He also underlined the need to achieve spending targets that are compatible with member states' social, environmental and multilateral commitments.
Last, the leaders discussed the Middle East crisis. One year after Spain's recognition of Palestine as a state, President Sánchez shared with President Von der Leyen his extreme concern over the humanitarian catastrophe of which the Gazan population is, as we speak, the main victim. The president reiterated the importance of increasing pressure on Israel to stop its illegal invasion by suspending the EU-Israel Association Agreement and launching sanctions, including an embargo on arms sales.
Non official translation
