Sánchez and Starmer confer in London to bolster their international bond after Gibraltar accord settlement
Pedro Sánchez, the President of the Spanish government, met with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer in London on Wednesday. This was the first institutional meeting between Spain and the UK since the UK's exit from the European Union in 2020.
The meeting aimed to strengthen the bilateral relations of Spain and the UK, which are currently in good harmony. The discussions covered a range of commercial topics, as well as other significant issues. Besides commercial matters, Sánchez and Starmer focused on the situation in Ukraine, emphasising support for Ukraine amid ongoing Russian aggression and the importance of a ceasefire and a just, lasting peace involving active Ukrainian participation.
The meeting also addressed issues such as the situation in Ukraine and Gaza or migration, as previously mentioned. Businesspeople and the ministers of Economy, Carlos Cuerpo (Spain) and Rachel Reeves (UK), participated in the meeting.
The meeting follows the pact of June 11 in Brussels, where it was agreed that all physical controls in Gibraltar would be carried out at the enclave's port and airport, not at its land border. This agreement eliminates physical barriers and controls on people and goods at the land border crossing to access Gibraltar.
It is worth noting that around 15,000 people, mostly workers, cross the land border of Gibraltar daily. Gibraltar, a British enclave in southern Spain, was a point of discussion in the meeting.
Pedro Sánchez's visit to Downing Street is the first by a Spanish government president since Mariano Rajoy's meeting with Theresa May in 2017. The meeting in London preceded the Ukraine summit in Paris, emphasising international collaboration and Spain's consistent support for Ukraine.
The meeting underscores the ongoing commitment of both Spain and the UK to maintain and enhance their relationship, focusing on mutual benefits and international cooperation.
Read also:
- Lu Shiow-yen's Challenging Position as Chair of the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Under Scrutiny in Donovan's Analysis
- Large-scale SEA-EYE rescue operation in the central Mediterranean: 144 individuals saved
- Confidential Data Protection in Medical Field: Defending Vital Patient Data
- Medical professionals call for RKI to advocate for COVID-19 vaccine distribution
