Sir Keir Starmer (Labour) and Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez both condemned the situation in Gaza during their meeting at Downing Street on Wednesday. The Spanish leader had earlier described Europe's response to the conflict as a "failure" that risks undermining the continent's global credibility.
The two leaders signed a new bilateral agreement aimed at strengthening cooperation on economic growth, migration and other shared interests. This marked the first meeting of its kind between a British Prime Minister and Spanish counterpart at Downing Street in seven years.
Gaza conflict criticism
Ahead of the meeting, Sanchez told The Guardian the conflict represents "one of the darkest episodes of international relations in the 21st century". The Spanish PM, who became the first European leader to accuse Israel of committing genocide in Gaza, declared: "It is a failure."
He added: "Absolutely. It is also the reality that, within the EU, there are countries that are divided when it comes to how to influence Israel. But in my opinion, it's not acceptable and we can't last longer if we want to increase our credibility when it comes to other crises, such as the one we face in Ukraine."
His comments came days after local health officials reported 31 people were killed in strikes across the Gaza Strip as Israel continues its major military offensive. During their meeting, Starmer described the "terrible situation in Gaza" as a topic for discussion, while Sanchez called the Middle East situation a "terrible tragedy".
Bilateral agreements and Gibraltar
The bilateral agreement builds on recent progress over Gibraltar, where the UK and Spanish governments brokered a deal to remove border checks over the summer alongside the EU. Starmer said: "Of course, we're here today to sign a bilateral agreement on the back of all the hard work we've done on Gibraltar. It really is a very important day for me and my Government to welcome you here."
The UK still intends to recognise a Palestinian state in September, joining Spain and other European nations, Foreign Secretary David Lammy told MPs on Monday. This move would align Britain with several EU countries that have already taken this step.
US leadership concerns
Speaking to The Guardian, Sanchez suggested that US President Donald Trump's administration was ending the international order established after the Second World War. He argued this could create opportunities for Europe and the UK to assert greater global leadership.
"The most shocking reality that we're facing is that the principal architect of the international order - which is the US after the Second World War - is now weakening this international order, and that's something that's not going to be positive for US society or for the rest of the world - especially western countries," he said. "That is why I think there's an opportunity for the European Union and also for the UK."
Sanchez and Trump had clashed earlier this year over Spain's refusal to spend five per cent of its GDP on defence, though the Spanish PM insisted his country would be a "reliable" NATO partner. He also addressed the "dilemma" western societies face regarding immigration, describing migration as "an opportunity and not only a moral duty" for economic growth and labour market needs.
Sources used: "The Guardian", "PA Media" Note: This article has been edited with the help of Artificial Intelligence.
