Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez met with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer in London on Wednesday to formalise a new cooperation agreement intended to reinforce relations between the two nations in the post-Brexit era.
The pact comes on the heels of a recent deal concerning Gibraltar, the British territory at the southern tip of the Iberian Peninsula. Gibraltar was ceded to Britain in 1713, but Spain has maintained its sovereignty claim ever since. Relations concerning ‘The Rock’, as it is popularly referred to in English, have had their ups and downs over the centuries.
Although the UK formally exited the EU in 2020, the specific terms concerning Gibraltar – a strategically significant British military base – had remained unresolved until an agreement was reached in June. ALSO READ: Spain, UK and EU agree ‘historic’ post-Brexit Gibraltar deal – full details.
Welcoming Sánchez to 10 Downing Street, Starmer stressed the enduring ties between Britain and Spain. In turn, Sánchez praised the British leader and his administration for helping to resolve the long-standing Gibraltar impasse that had lingered since Brexit. ALSO READ: EU and UK ‘reset’ post-Brexit relations with new agreements at mini-summit.
The newly signed agreement covers collaboration in areas such as economic growth, migration and other mutual priorities. It also follows a June arrangement between the UK, Spain, and the European Union to lift border checks at Gibraltar during the summer months. ALSO READ: Gibraltar-Spain border could vanish in early 2026 under post-Brexit deal.
Since Britain’s departure from the EU in 2020, Gibraltar’s future relationship with the bloc had remained unsettled, with negotiations on cross-border movement of goods and people progressing only slowly. The small territory, home to around 34,000 residents, voted overwhelmingly (96%) to remain in the EU during the 2016 referendum, reflecting its heavy reliance on EU market access.
In addition to bilateral issues, the two leaders discussed the war between Israel and Hamas. Starmer described it as a ‘terrible situation’, while Sánchez, who had been the first European head of government to accuse Israel of genocide in Gaza, said Europe’s handling of the conflict amounted to a ‘failure’. ALSO READ: Sánchez: ‘We have a moral duty to save lives in Gaza’, which is a ‘catastrophic situation of genocide’.
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Con @Keir_Starmer abrimos una nueva etapa en las relaciones entre España y Reino Unido.
Reforzamos nuestra cooperación en economía, igualdad, transición verde y con un orden internacional basado en reglas.
Un acuerdo con una visión de progreso para el mundo. pic.twitter.com/B2DEzQiO6h
— Pedro Sánchez (@sanchezcastejon) September 3, 2025
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