Monarchy Felipe VI will receive Biden on his arrival in Spain and will hold six meetings with leaders during the NATO summit
Unity, freedom and democracy.
Those have been the most repeated ideas on Tuesday by both Felipe VI and the president of the United States, Joe Biden.
On a day dedicated to receiving the leaders who are going to participate in the NATO Summit starting this Wednesday, the King and Queen have opened the doors of the Royal Palace to celebrate a welcome dinner attended by
60 guests.
In the speech that preceded the dinner, Felipe VI expressed
great concern
about the situation in the world,
"Russia's unjustifiable aggression
against Ukraine. "No country is alien to this war.
The very security of Spain and Western Europe also passes through Ukraine", the King reflected in a gala dining room in which the
14 presidents and 21 prime ministers
listened attentively to his words.
As the King has acknowledged, "never before has this Palace welcomed and seated such a large number of senior world leaders at the same time".
Since in 199, there were not so many countries invited.
From that moment he wanted to draw a parallel between Don Felipe, affirming that "
despite the threats
to international peace and security in the Euro-Atlantic space, a
spirit of optimism
prevailed ".
Now, however, "we are witnessing and experiencing the merging of
old and new threats,
old and new challenges."
These threats cause " free, plural and democratic
societies" to be in danger
, which is why he has asked the leaders participating in the Summit to achieve "societies that can
feel safe and live in peace
".
The King finished his speech recalling the 40th anniversary of Spain's accession to NATO.
Four decades in which Spain "has not only contributed
military power
to the Alliance, but also the power of its history, the power
of its society's commitment
and the power of its strategic vision".
The Royal Palace, center of the world
From five in the afternoon the Royal Palace has become the
meeting point of the world.
If the King held a meeting with Joe Biden there in the early afternoon, the welcome dinner for the leaders who attended the Summit was held afterwards.
Don Felipe and Doña Letizia have received all the guests in the throne room.
16 presidents and 21 prime ministers, many of them with companions, crossed the doors of the imposing hall to greet the King and Queen, take pictures with them and have a small conversation.
The King and Queen have been very close to
the Australian Prime Minister
, whom they have thanked for coming from so far away.
Don Felipe has asked him if he has been able to rest.
"Very little," replied the politician.
They have also been very close with the Prime Minister of Luxembourg,
Xavier Bettel,
and with her husband.
After the greetings, the guests went to the Hall of Columns to
enjoy an aperitif.
From there, the leaders without their companions have entered the Hall of
Alabarderos
to take a group photo.
Finally they entered the gala dining room, where they tasted hake with menier sauce, tapioca and trout roe and a coconut foam-based dessert with mint granita and passion fruit.
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