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Foreign ministers of Poland and Spain meet

30.08.2019

“I welcome Minister Borrell’s second visit to Poland in the year that marks the centenary of the renewal of Polish-Spanish diplomatic relations and the 80th anniversary of the outbreak of the Second World War,” Minister Jacek Czaputowicz said after his Friday meeting with Spain’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, the European Union and Cooperation Josep Borrell Fontelles.

Foreign ministers of Poland and Spain meet

“Spanish foreign minister’s visit to Warsaw proves that Poland and Spain have close relations and share a deep historical sensitivity to the atrocities of the Second World War,” said Minister Czaputowicz.

The ministers talked about defence cooperation. “We are satisfied with our successful bilateral cooperation in defence and security policy. I thanked the minister for the service of Spanish soldiers in Poland and under NATO’s Enhanced Forward Presence in Latvia. This proves that Spain is committed to strengthening NATO’s eastern flank,” said Minister Czaputowicz.

Other topics on the agenda included a constant trade increase and growth in economic and investment cooperation. The minister explained: “Our trade volume in 2018 reached a record high of EUR 10.8 billion. From January to May 2019 it totaled EUR 4.8 billion. We are happy that more and more Polish entrepreneurs set up businesses in Spain, mostly in the sectors of IT, finances, construction chemicals, automotive, pharmaceutical and food industry, and home appliances.”  

The ministers also discussed the EU’s future and security in our part of Europe. “In the debate on the EU’s future we jointly advocate the need to continue the process of streamlining the EU, specifically in the context of its new institutional cycle and its new Strategic Agenda, adopted in June. Poland and Spain will cooperate to keep the EU united, boost its economic growth, protect its external borders and enhance its active role in the eastern and southern neighbourhoods. European neighbourhood should be our priority,” stressed Minister Czaputowicz. “Instability in our close neighbourhood poses a threat to Europe’s security. We agree that we need to have joint narration to address Russia’s policy of destabilization and disinformation in the region, hybrid and cyber threats and interference in Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. We believe that the EU should support Ukraine and help carry out its further reforms,” added the Polish foreign minister.

Minister Jacek Czaputowicz congratulated Minister Borrell Fontelles on his nomination as the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy. He said that he hopes to cooperate with him closely after he takes office.

 

MFA Press Office

Photo: Tymon Markowski/MFA

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