The Defence Secretary has met the Spanish Minister of Defence
Margarita Robles Fernández in Madrid today (25 May) for talks on
defence co-operation.
Spain will host the NATO leaders’ summit in Madrid in June, and
today’s bilateral meetings provided an opportunity for the two
defence ministers to discuss key issues for the Alliance,
including our continued support for Ukraine in the face of
Russia’s unprovoked and barbaric invasion. The Defence Secretary
underpinned that the United Kingdom stands with Spain in
condemning Putin’s actions and violation of international law.
They also discussed continued co-operation on joint defence
programmes and operations, including deployments to NATO’s
enhanced Forward Presence on the Alliance’s eastern front.
Defence Secretary MP said:
Across the globe, the UK and Spain are deployed helping our
allies upholding our common values. Spain, as one of the leaders
in European defence, is a key partner for the UK armed forces and
a vital NATO ally.
Spain and the UK have been NATO Allies for forty years and our
armed forces have worked together in operations right across the
world.
As we have seen through Russia’s unprovoked invasion of Ukraine,
this defensive cooperation matters, as we continue to support
Ukraine and focus on the wider stability and security of Europe.
Spain and the UK have been NATO Allies for forty years. Our armed
forces have worked together in operations across the world,
including in Afghanistan, the Baltics, the Balkans, the Indian
Ocean, Iraq, Mali, the Mediterranean Sea and the North Atlantic.
There are also close links between both countries’ defence
industries, with Spain and the UK collaborating on the
Eurofighter Typhoon and A400M aircraft.
