Yakovlev Petr Pavlovich – Sc.D. in Economics, Chief Researcher, INION RAS
In the current dynamically changing geopolitical and geo-economic conditions, the political elites of Spain are striving to radically diversify cross-border trade, economic and political ties, and to impart the maximum possible pragmatism and high efficiency to the international activities of their country. To this end, Madrid is «pushing the usual boundaries» of foreign policy, traditionally limited to privileged relations with the European Union and the United States of America, and is making a «pivot to the East», significantly expanding trade, economic and political-diplomatic interaction with China and other Asian countries, including India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, South Korea, the Gulf states (primarily Saudi Arabia and Qatar), and the Pacific island countries. This strategic task is still far from being resolved, since it requires not only a conceptual justification, but also responsible and bold diplomatic moves, as well as specific trade and economic actions. On the international arena, Spanish authorities strive to follow the strict logic of economic pragmatism and trade competition. At the same time, the continued strong geopolitical and military-strategic dependence of the EU on the United States significantly limits the freedom of diplomatic maneuver of both the EU governing bodies and the governments of the EU member states. This circumstance significantly complicates the implementation of Madrid’s new foreign policy course, slows down the ongoing «turn to the East» and creates serious political risks for the center-left cabinet in power in Spain, led by the Secretary General of the Spanish Socialist Workers’ Party, Pedro Sanchez.
Spain, European Union, USA, Spanish foreign policy, geo-economic pragmatism, turn to the East.
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