The Chair of Studies on Strategic Autonomy at the Pontifical University of Comillas held a closed-door breakfast last Friday, June 26, with the British ambassador, Alex Ellis.
Alex Ellis referred to issues such as the importance of defense collaboration between the United Kingdom and the European Union; relations with Spain, or Brexit, and recalled that the scenario at the time of the United Kingdom’s exit from the European Union is very different from today. “Many things have changed since 2016,” the British ambassador recalled, “the pandemic, the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the energy crisis, changes in the United States, the emergence of China as a great power…”, and pointed out that “we are in another world, more volatile and unstable.” Therefore, he highlighted the strategic security and defense agreement reached last year between the UK and the EU, and that his country is fundamental for Europe’s strategic autonomy, “from defense to competitiveness”. In addition, the British ambassador expressed his desire for other agreements on emissions trading, agri-food products, and the internal electricity market, which will benefit Spanish companies in these sectors.
The British ambassador also wanted to highlight the excellent relationship with Spain, and provided figures that demonstrated the attempts at human, commercial, and security ties.
In the subsequent discussion with the attendees – moderated by Emilio Sáenz-Francés, co-director of the Chair of Studies on Strategic Autonomy and director of the Winston Churchill Observatory of Comillas – issues such as healthcare, technological disruption, the changing geopolitical landscape, or shared challenges like immigration were discussed.
The event was attended by political and business leaders, as well as diplomats and personalities such as Enrique Barón, former president of the European Parliament; Francisco Sagasti, former president of Peru, or Jorge de Habsburgo-Lothringen, ambassador of Hungary.
