Foreign Secretary Liz Truss to meet Spanish counterpart in Madrid

Foreign Secretary Liz Truss will travel to Madrid today for a meeting this evening with Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares, in a trip that the UK Government said “demonstrates the importance of the UK-Spain relationship”.

The trip comes as negotiators from the UK – and Gibraltar – and the European Commission meet in London for the second consecutive day for talks on a UK-EU treaty for Gibraltar’s future relations with the bloc.

The meeting in Madrid comes just two weeks after the two ministers met during the NATO Foreign Ministers Summit in Riga at which they both underlined their commitment to a treaty based on the New Years’ Eve political framework agreement to swiftly concluding negotiations.

In a statement, the UK Government said the two ministers are expected to discuss shared priorities, such as “combatting malign actors” and getting more girls into education.

The ministers will also discuss their collaboration through NATO, ahead of Spain hosting the NATO Leaders' Summit in 2022.

During the visit, which comes within her first 100 days in office, Foreign Secretary Liz Truss will also seek to boost the UK's economic ties with Spain as she hosts an event with leading Spanish investors and British businesses in Spain.

"I want to work with allies like Spain to create a network of liberty based around closer economic, tech and security ties,” Ms Truss said.

"We're significant trading partners, with the UK as Spain's biggest European investor, and the UK as the top destination for Spanish investment. By boosting our trading ties even further, both Spain and every region and nation of the UK will benefit.”

“As part of her visit over two days, the Foreign Secretary will also launch a new report on scientific collaboration between the UK and Spain.”