The Diplomat
The United States Ambassador to Madrid, Julissa Reynosso, said yesterday that her country’s relationship with Spain is more intense than ever and that this is not going to change.
During a breakfast briefing organised by the Dialogues for Democracy Club, sponsored by Hisdessat, the ambassador addressed the topic ‘Spain – United States: The bilateral agenda for 2024’, assuring “with all clarity and certainty” that her country has “a great relationship with the Spanish government, an indispensable ally, and that is how it will continue to be”.
The ambassador’s intervention comes a few days after the Spanish government expelled at least two US spies, after it became known that two agents of the National Intelligence Centre (CNI) were bribed to provide classified information to the United States.
Regarding Spain’s position on the Gaza-Israel conflict, the ambassador said: “The position of Spain and the US is very similar, so I don’t see any conflict. We maintain our support for Israel and its right to defend itself, while sending a clear message that too many Palestinian civilians have been killed,” the US Embassy in Madrid said in a press release.
The note adds that, on the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, Reynoso stressed that “President Biden’s commitment is absolute to continue to support Ukraine … and to give it all possible tools to continue to defend itself against Russian aggression”. She also assured that there is no risk of this support disappearing in the run-up to the 2024 presidential elections, as “Republicans in the US Congress also clearly support Ukraine”.
On the EU’s Artificial Intelligence Act, Julissa Reynoso said that “the US is in dialogue with the EU to ensure that these new rules are in harmony with US policy, as President Biden has signed an executive order to try to put a regulatory framework for the sector and most companies in this sector, which are American, have taken a voluntary position to look for ways to regulate themselves to promote innovation and at the same time prevent and control risks to vulnerable groups, such as minorities and minors”.
Finally, Reynoso highlighted the collaboration between Spain and the United States, especially in the area of defence. “The relationship with Spain is diverse and intense. Thanks to the Ministry of Defence, and to the government in general, for its support and openness in working with the Biden Administration to continue cooperating,” she said.
In addition, she stressed that “both governments are working hand in hand to promote semiconductor and energy production in the US and Spain to be more independent and avoid problems that we have had in the past, as well as to reduce the climate impact”.
The event was attended by Mr. Santiago Bolíbar, President of Hisdesat, who announced that the company will launch the new SpainSat NG in 2024 with the American launcher SpaceX, the Falcon 9, and the second in 2025″. With these new generation satellites, “the most advanced and secure satellites in Europe, we will continue to be delighted to serve and partner with the US government to provide secure satellite communications services to NATO along with the UK, France, Italy and Luxembourg,” he concluded.
The breakfast, hosted at the Intercontinental Hotel, was attended by more than a hundred people from different institutions and companies, including the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs; the Chief of Staff of the Spanish Army; the Secretary General for Innovation of the Ministry of Science and Innovation; Antonio Garrigues Walker, President of the Garrigues Foundation; and the President of the Spain-US Council, as well as representatives from 20 countries through their embassies.
