Pedro Sánchez: 'Europe will not be a geo-economic power unless we have the financial clout to be one'

Brussels (Belgium)

The President of the Government of Spain, Pedro Sánchez, has taken part in the European Council meeting, held in Brussels (Belgium), where the 27 member states addressed key issues such as the negotiations on the Multiannual Financial Framework and the response to international challenges such as the crisis in the Middle East and the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

The Head of the Executive argued that the European Union needs a more ambitious budget and stated that the Multiannual Financial Framework must be able to respond to the new challenges linked to competitiveness and strategic autonomy. "Europe will not be a geo-economic power unless we have the financial clout to be one," he said at the end of the meeting.

Pedro Sánchez also called for progress towards a more integrated internal market and highlighted Spain's proposal to remove internal barriers in order to "streamline procedures and harmonise legislation to further integrate the single market". In the same vein, he reiterated his support for "a Europe open to the world", expanding dialogue with other regions and committing to diversification and the extension of trade agreements such as those signed over the past year with Mercosur, India and Mexico.

Foreign policy

The President of the Government of Spain, Pedro Sánchez, and the President of the French Republic, Emmanuel Macron, greet each other during the European Council | Pool Moncloa/Fernando Calvo

On the crisis in the Middle East, the President of the Government of Spain expressed his hope that the agreement between the United States and Iran will mark "the beginning of the end of a conflict that should never have happened" and argued that Europe needs to play a more significant role in working towards greater stability in the region.

In this regard, he noted that Spain has reiterated its support for advancing the implementation of the two-state solution, for the EU to suspend its association agreement with Israel, for sanctions to be imposed on those who advocate genocide, and for a ban on trade in goods originating from illegal settlements.

Alongside European leaders, Pedro Sánchez reiterated Spain's support and solidarity with Ukraine in the face of Russia's illegal invasion. He stated that "in the face of those who advocate a much smaller Europe, we stand for a much stronger Europe" and emphasised that "Europe does not need to take a step backwards in terms of its values and principles; it needs to take a step forwards in its integration".

Non official translation