Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez will not attend the United States’ traditional reception in New York to mark the start of the UN General Assembly. Representatives from all UN member states are invited to the event. The gathering is one of the oldest traditions of the so‑called “high‑level week” at the UN and serves as an opportunity for world leaders to strengthen ties with the United States.
The Spanish government said Sánchez’s absence was due to his schedule. However, ABC noted the Prime Minister’s official agenda contains no events that would directly prevent his attendance. Sánchez’s final engagement on Tuesday is a dialogue on development financing with Barbadian Prime Minister Mia Mottley and United Nations Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed, scheduled for 16:00 New York time, while the reception begins at 19:15 at the Lotte Palace, near the UN headquarters.
Tensions in relations with the United States
Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares, when asked about the specific reason for Sánchez’s absence, stated only: “It is the Prime Minister’s schedule.”
Spain typically participates in this reception regardless of who holds the office of President of the United States. Last year, King Felipe VI attended the event. In 2024, Sánchez did not attend the reception, but that event coincided with his speech at the plenary session of the UN General Assembly. He previously attended receptions in 2018 and 2019, when Donald Trump was President of the United States, as well as in 2022 and 2023 during the presidency of Joe Biden. In 2020 and 2021, such receptions were not held due to the COVID‑19 pandemic.
This year, Sánchez’s decision to skip the event comes against the backdrop of a significant deterioration in relations between Spain and the United States. Notably, the Spanish Prime Minister did not join European allies in meeting the demands of Donald Trump to increase defense spending by NATO countries. A separate source of tension has been the lack of logistical support from the United States in the war against Iran.
ABC also links the cooling of relations to the crisis surrounding Ceuta, which the publication describes as a problem the government of Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has failed to manage. Meanwhile, Morocco continues to strengthen its relationship with Washington, particularly following its accession to the Abraham Accords. As part of this process, the United States recognized Moroccan sovereignty over Western Sahara.
The U.S. reception is not merely a protocol event but an opportunity for informal political contact between world leaders. Notably, during this year’s event, Donald Trump is expected to meet separately with Delcy Rodríguez, the interim president of Venezuela. Reuters also reports on a planned meeting between Donald Trump and Delcy Rodríguez in New York during the UN General Assembly.
Source: ABC.es
