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 Ben Wallace 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.
