Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, who will meet Joe Biden at the White House on Friday afternoon, will ask the US president to listen to the views of non-NATO countries like China and Brazil on the war in Ukraine . This was reported by a source in Spanish diplomatic circles.
Madrid agrees with Washington on the illegality of the Russian invasion of Ukraine and on the need to arm Kyiv. However, Spain positions itself as a middleman due to its close ties with Latin American countries and warmer relations with Beijing.
The first meeting at the White House between the two NATO allies will take place just weeks before Sanchez takes over the presidency of the Council of the European Union.
Sanchez visited Beijing in March and hosted Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lulu da Silva in Madrid last month.
China is an ally of Russia and advocates an alternative peace plan to that advocated by NATO allies. Lula has also made controversial statements about ending the conflict in Ukraine, which Sanchez himself has distanced himself from.
However, the Spanish prime minister will bring Biden’s perspective on the conflict from Beijing and Brasilia, the source said.
The meeting comes at a time when Europe is seeking to bolster its industry and secure reliable sources of raw materials and energy, as well as finding ways to compete with environmental subsidies announced by the Biden administration as part of of the Inflation Reduction Act.
Sanchez will outline to Biden the concept of ‘open strategic autonomy’, the central policy of his next European term, which a second government source says is not aimed at veering into protectionism but at reducing Europe’s economic ‘vulnerability’ .
Possible cooperation in the production and/or supply of microchips and semiconductors, as well as the exploitation of rare earth minerals from Latin America will also be discussed during the meeting of the two leaders.
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