Géza Andreas von Geyr, the second-in-command of German diplomacy: "Spain is to Germany a partner and friend, but in day-to-day politics there can be ups and downs."

A very apt question.

“His professional career is notable”

El Mundo

In our globalized world we cannot or do not want to continue drawing strict distinctions between many areas that mark our international relations.

El Mundo

That is valid both with regard to matters relevant to security policy as well as regarding the many areas in which there are economic or energy policy ties.

Consequently, it is important that our diplomacy gain experiences from different points of view.

My trip to Madrid has been planned for a long time and is a reflection of the ongoing exchange we maintain with Spain as a close partner in the European Union and ally within NATO.

In 2022 we adopted a specific Spanish-German Action Plan, in which we agreed to carry out broad cooperation with a defined focus.

El Mundo

Our common objective is a strong Europe with the capacity to act that defends our values, that is, that promotes our freedom, our competitiveness and prosperity and that guarantees our security.

Our meetings on Monday will serve to advance this agenda jointly.

For those of us who belong to the European Union and NATO it is important that the NATO Secretary General participate in informal meetings of the European Council and that this is even a proven tradition.

“His professional career is notable”

El Mundo

Conversely, the Alliance again and again invites representatives of the European Commission and the European External Action Service to attend the North Atlantic Council, the highest body of NATO.

We need this close and loyal link, because NATO is the main pillar of euro-Atlantic security and thus guarantor of our security here in Europe.

The European Union, for its part, has just now strengthened its instruments in a way that strengthens the European defense industry, thereby promoting relevant security.

What we need is a strong European pillar in NATO and a Europe that also trusts itself in terms of its security policy; that is willing and able to take on a larger share of transatlantic defense spending, distributing the burden fairly also among us Europeans.

For the past two weeks Europe has been facing, simultaneously, two brutal wars directly on our borders: the fifth year of Russia's aggression against Ukraine has begun, and daily there are dead, wounded and destruction.

In this context, Russia will presumably continue to be our greatest security threat and Ukraine's future will be an inherent part of our security, also because the way Russia is rearming is an indication that it is preparing for a long-term confrontation with the West.

El Mundo

Moscow's aggressive and escalatory rhetoric is accompanied by constant violations of European airspace by Russian drones.

It is also proven that the Kremlin is behind acts of sabotage against critical infrastructure facilities in Europe and hybrid warfare that affect all European member states.

The particular challenge for us Europeans is that we must be vigilant and focused on both scenarios, both in the Middle East and in the war in Ukraine.

In both cases this is also about our security, Europe's security.

Ukraine is willing to negotiate; Russia, on the contrary, continues to formulate maximum demands completely unacceptable and attacks Ukraine with the same severity, even while talks are ongoing.

For us this is not a sign of genuine willingness to negotiate.

For this reason now is not the propitious moment to take, as Europeans, a step toward Russia.

We, and certainly the Ukrainians in particular, hope that the war ends soon with a lasting and just peace.

With a view to this objective we will continue to support Ukraine and will increase pressure on Russia with sanctions as long as necessary.

And Europeans, of course, are willing to contribute our expertise in the discussions with the US and Russia.