Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares outlines a vision for a more sovereign, united, and globally engaged Europe.
On 20 May 2026, the Jacques Delors Centre hosted José Manuel Albares, Minister of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation of Spain, for a keynote on Europe’s future in a rapidly changing world. Opening the event, Dean of Research and Faculty Mark Hallerberg underlined the scale of challenges currently confronting Europe, making the discussion on its future all the more urgent. Minister Albares remarks focused on how Europe can respond to mounting geopolitical tensions, defend multilateralism, and reinforce its economic, security, and democratic foundations. The keynote was followed by an in-depth discussion moderated by Thu Nguyen, Acting Co-Director of the Jacques Delors Centre, and a Q&A session with the audience.
Defending Multilateralism in a Fragmented World
Minister Albares framed the current moment as a defining one for Europe. Ongoing conflicts – from Russia’s war against Ukraine to the conflicts in the Middle East and instability in Sudan – are challenging international law and directly affecting European security. In his view, these developments reflect a broader trend: “We see contestation of international law, the rise of unilateralism and the resort to the use of force as a foreign affairs tool.”
Against this backdrop, Minister Albares made a strong case for Europe to reaffirm its commitment to international law, cooperation, and the rules-based order. “It is not possible to manage a multipolar world without multilateralism”, he underlined.
For him, the European Union carries a particular responsibility: founded on peace and cooperation, it must uphold international law and act with unity. Without this commitment, he warned, the alternative is not a new global order but instability and conflict.
Building European Sovereignty Across Key Areas
A central theme of the speech was the need for greater European sovereignty, understood as the capacity to act independently while remaining open to cooperation. Minister Albares emphasised completing the Single Market, strengthening a European Capital Markets Union, and building a unified digital space to reduce dependencies.
He also called for diversified trade partnerships and a more ambitious EU budget to finance shared priorities such as innovation and infrastructure.
On security and defence, Minister Albares advocated deeper integration, including the development of a European rapid response force. This, he stressed, would complement NATO while enabling Europe to take greater responsibility for its own security.
He also linked external security to internal resilience, warning that disinformation and far-right movements pose significant risks to European democracy. Strengthening Europe therefore requires both enhanced defence capabilities and the protection of its foundational values.
From Vision to Policy: Discussion with Thu Nguyen
The exchange with Thu Nguyen centred on how to move from diagnosis to implementation. Minister Albares emphasised that the necessary ideas are widely known, but political will remains the key obstacle: “We know exactly what we have to do. The question is why we don’t do it if we know we have to do it.”
He called for reforms to EU decision-making – including expanding qualified majority voting to avoid blockages. “We will need probably an avant-garde to go forward […] and then the others will join”, Minister Albares suggested.
Audience Q&A: Security, Migration, Climate
In the Q&A, participants raised questions on NATO commitments, defence integration, migration, China, climate policy, and the Middle East.
Minister Albares defended Spain’s contributions to Ukraine and NATO, stressing that the focus should not be on spending targets alone: “Instead of focusing on a percentage, we should focus on what’s important: capacities.” He presented Spain’s migration policy – combining external cooperation, development support, and regularisation – as effective, while attributing resistance in other countries largely to domestic political dynamics. In his responses, Minister Albares also highlighted the importance of engaging with China as part of a credible global strategy, and reiterated Spain’s support for recognising Palestine as a way to preserve the two-state solution. Climate change was raised in this context as an existential challenge requiring multilateral cooperation, with Spain’s renewable energy transition cited as an example of economic and strategic benefits.
Watch a recording of the event below.
Photo credits: Sanyam Bajaj