The head of the Spanish Government, Pedro Sánchez, has a telephone conversation with the President of the United States, Joe Biden.Fernando Calvo / EFE
The US President, Joe Biden, and the leader of the Spanish Executive, Pedro Sánchez, have discussed by phone this Saturday the collaboration between both governments to evacuate the citizens of Afghanistan after the takeover of the Taliban. Sánchez wrote on Twitter that in the conversation they addressed "various topics of common interest, especially the situation in Afghanistan." The US State Department had previously thanked 26 countries that have been "fundamental" in the evacuation operation, not to mention Spain.
“I have just had a fruitful conversation with President Joe Biden, @POTUS, in which we have addressed several topics of common interest, especially the situation in Afghanistan and the collaboration between both governments in the evacuation of citizens from that country ”Sánchez wrote on the social network along with an image of him on the phone in La Moncloa at around 6:00 pm in the United States (midnight in Spain).
The Biden Administration has yet to release a statement on the matter.
The Democratic president was scheduled to travel to his residence in Wilmington (Delaware) this Saturday, but the trip was canceled at the last minute and the president remains in Washington.
The US State Department thanked US allies on Friday, "especially" those who "have been instrumental" in carrying out the evacuation of Kabul and the relocation of US and Afghan citizens at risk. The list mentioned 26 countries, including Germany, Italy, France, the United Arab Emirates and Turkey. Biden agreed on Friday with Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi "to plan a common approach" on Afghanistan policy at a G7 meeting next week, the White House reported.
The Democratic president took several days to connect with his international peers to address the situation in Afghanistan after the Taliban took control once most of the US troops left the Central Asian country. On Tuesday afternoon Biden called British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and spoke with German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Wednesday. He also held talks with French President Emmanuel Macron.
The president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, and the president of the Council, Charles Michel, thanked Sánchez this Saturday for the temporary reception of Afghan refugees in a camp at the Torrejón de Ardoz military base.
“In times of need, Spain has shown humanity and has shown a great sense of solidarity.
It is a good example of the European soul at its best ”, said Von der Leyen after a visit to the facilities, in which Josep Borrell, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs, also participated.
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At night, a third Spanish plane arrived at the Torrejón de Ardoz base with 110 people evacuated from Afghanistan.
The aircraft transported Afghan collaborators and their families, government sources have confirmed.
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