It is on the return of the visit that the British Defense Minister made to Spain a year ago now and it comes just a few days after both coincided with the last face-to-face meeting of the Contact Group for the Defense of Ukraine, held in Ramstein (Germany) Last Friday. The Minister was accompanied by the Secretary General for Defense Policy, Admiral Juan Francisco MartÃnez Núñez, and by the Spanish ambassador in London, José Pascual Marco MartÃnez.
After receiving military honors at Wellington Barracks, the delegations exchanged views on the situation in Ukraine. In this regard, Robles reiterated the need to “continue to provide political, social and economic support and military assistance to this country, as we have done since the first moments of the brutal invasion, adapting it to the requirements expressed by the Ukrainian government. “
In the same sense, Wallace declared that “contributing to the freedom and dignity of Ukraine, helping it to defend itself, is a moral obligation” and he emphasized the “continuous, firm and unequivocal” commitment of both countries and “the skills of answering “. .
evacuation of Sudan
Likewise, both ministers addressed the recent evacuation of civilian personnel from Sudan. The Spanish Minister appreciated the excellent intervention of the Spanish Armed Forces in this operation, feeling “very proud”.
“The role of the Spanish Armed Forces was great, not only the evacuation that took place from the Spanish citizens, but from other countries both in the European Union and in Latin America, which always emphasized the commitment of Spain at any moment, when the citizens are in a situation of risk”, said Robles.
Robles also emphasized the work of the ambassador and diplomatic corps in this country, as well as the joint work of the Ministry of Defense and Foreign Affairs and the efforts of the Air Force and Space in sending five planes “that flew in risky conditions.”. He also referred to the members of the Parachute Brigade and the Special Operations Team, “who did essential and fundamental work in such a difficult and complicated context, where there was a lot of risk to human life.”
“Hope that the situation in Sudan can soon be redirected and we can soon return to calm,” said the minister.
After that, they discussed the priorities for the next NATO Summit in Vilnius (Lithuania), as well as stability on the African continent. Despite the current situation, for Spain it is important to maintain both the focus on Defense and Defense against Russia and the breadth of vision to meet challenges in all directions, including the Mediterranean and the South.
“We know and share the same concerns regarding Africa: the rapid spread of terrorism, corruption, the general weakness of the rule of law, poverty,…”, Wallace said, referring to the African continent, where Spanish commitment to stability and security is especially sensitive, particularly in the Sahel.
“The challenges now need some strategic patience and an adjustment in our actions to reduce tension with some local governments,” said Robles, who was in favor of waiting for the right moment to reactivate political dialogue and prevent the negative influence of actors such as Russia.
Regarding the candidate for the Summit that will be held in July, Minister Robles said that “Madrid has launched a new ambitious Security and Defense project in the Alliance that we have now deepened with realistic and sustainable criteria, and that needs our unity and cohesion “. He also insisted on “continuing to deepen complementarity with the European Union”, not only coordinating efforts in areas such as climate change, the defense industry, resistance or human security, but also as “the only solution” to improve the cooperation in support. in Ukraine.
Wallace recognized that “beneficial spaces for cooperation have been developed for the United Kingdom and the European Union, such as in the defense industry, in which it is necessary to work together and keep the possibility 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 defense issues.
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