The Minister of Defense, Margarita Robles, participated in the closing of the IV special edition of the La Toja-Atlantic Link Forum, alongside the President of the Portuguese Republic, António José Seguro.
In this meeting, which focused on ‘The Atlantic relationship and the future of Europe’, the minister emphasized the importance of not forgetting the situation in Ukraine. According to Robles, supporting Ukraine means defending the territorial integrity and sovereignty of the country, as well as the fundamental values that unite Europeans, such as peace, freedom, and respect for human rights.
Robles also addressed the complexity of the current moment, mentioning the conflicts in the Middle East and Africa, highlighting the critical situation in countries like Sudan and the rise of jihadism in the Sahel and Mali. The minister called for unity around European identity, stating that ‘Europe must be a protagonist in defending our values and multilateralism.’
This forum, which was born six years ago as an initiative of civil society in Galicia, seeks to promote reflection and public debate on global challenges. Since its first edition in 2019, it has brought together political leaders, academics, and businesspeople to discuss the political challenges of Europe and the Atlantic relationship in a context of geopolitical instability and economic transformations.