Macron on state visit to Spain, meetings with King Felipe and Sanchez on Ukraine and the Middle East

French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife will make a state visit to Spain on September 29 and 30, the French presidency and the Spanish government announced on Monday.

The visit will take place at the invitation of King Felipe, and the French presidential couple will meet Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez to discuss issues including the situation in the Middle East and Ukraine.

“This first state visit by a French president to Spain since 2009 will show the depth of the ties that bind our two countries, as well as the breadth of their cooperation,” the French presidency said in a statement.

As part of the visit, an official dinner will be hosted in his honor by King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia, while Emmanuel Macron will also be received by Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez on September 30, the Spanish side added.

“Both countries share a common commitment to defending democracy and young people, especially in the face of the challenges posed by social media and artificial intelligence,” the Élysée Palace said in its statement, adding that Sanchez and Macron will discuss “important European and international issues, including the situation in Ukraine and the Middle East,” during their meeting.

Emmanuel Macron’s last visit to Spain was in January 2023. He then signed a friendship treaty with Pedro Sanchez, which has still not been ratified by Spain due to opposition from the Spanish right to some of its provisions.

Emmanuel Macron also visited Seville last summer to take part in the United Nations Conference on Financing for Development.