Spain – Meeting between the Minister and his counterpart, José Manuel Albares Bueno (25 January 2025)
The Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, M. Jean-Noël Barrot, spoke to his Spanish counterpart, Mr José Manuel Albares Bueno, Minister of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation, at a working lunch in Paris on Friday 24 January.
After France and Spain celebrated the second anniversary of the signing of the Barcelona Treaty on 19 January, the two ministers discussed the exceptionally intense bilateral relationship, particularly in terms of the economy, culture and people-to-people exchanges. They also welcomed the similarity of their positions on the main European issues, be they defence, competitiveness or European digital sovereignty.
The ministers discussed current international issues. In particular, they signalled the importance of strengthening European and international support for Ukraine, which is defending its territorial integrity in the face of Russia’s war of aggression.
They welcomed the conclusion of a ceasefire and hostage-release agreement in Gaza, which must be the first step in a long-term resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, in accordance with international law. They reviewed the political transition process in Syria. The two ministers emphasized UNIFIL’s important role in contributing to Lebanon’s stability.