Spain's Sanchez and Trump Will Attend World Cup Final Amid Diplomatic Strains
Diplomatic Tensions and the World Cup Final
Background of Strained Relations
MADRID, July 17 (Reuters) - Spain's Pedro Sanchez and U.S. President Donald Trump are set to meet again at Sunday's World Cup final, as strained relations between the two leaders over defence spending and the war with Iran continue to simmer.
World Cup Final Meeting
Sanchez, the Spanish prime minister, will be in New Jersey for the game, his office said on Friday, where Trump could end up handing the trophy to the Spanish team, who play Argentina.
Defence Spending Disputes
Trump has repeatedly criticised Spain over the government's refusal to commit to NATO's target of spending 5% of GDP on defence, making numerous threats of trade reprisals.
Recent NATO Summit Developments
The latest came earlier this month at the NATO summit in Ankara when Trump told his advisers to "cut off all trade with Spain, including visits."
The U.S. leader later softened his tone, saying Spain had honoured the request for payments and been "very generous", a statement which Sanchez's government understood as a reference to Madrid complying with its agreed defence spending target of 2% of GDP.
Military Base Access and Iran Conflict
Sanchez, who also angered Trump's administration earlier this year by denying use of its military bases and airspace during the U.S. attack on Iran, at the time said Spain sought the best possible relations with its allies.
The two leaders held an informal, friendly conversation at the summit limited to topics including the World Cup, he said.
Spain-U.S. Relations Beyond the Summit
Sanchez's Visits to the United States
The Spanish leader has travelled frequently to the United States during his time in office, mostly for UN General Assembly meetings in New York. He visited Washington in 2023 for bilateral meetings with former U.S. President Joe Biden.
Royal Family's Attendance
The Spanish royal family, including King Felipe, Queen Letizia and their daughters, Princess Leonor and Infanta Sofia, have also confirmed they will attend the final.
(Reporting by Emma Pinedo and Victoria Waldersee; editing by Charlie Devereux and Toby Davis)
