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Spain, France align on welcoming UK back to EU, strengthening China trade defences
Macron and Sanchez said Britain could return if it chooses, while urging stronger EU trade protections against China and more budget flexibility.
On Wednesday, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez and French President Emmanuel Macron met at Moncloa Palace in Madrid, expressing enthusiasm for British Prime Minister Andy Burnham's proposal that Britain rejoin the European Union.
British Prime Minister Andy Burnham floated the prospect of Britain rejoining the bloc in an interview earlier Wednesday, which Macron described as "excellent news" and a "good decision."
Addressing economic concerns, the leaders agreed Europe must strengthen trade defenses against China, with Macron stating, "If we are not united as Europeans, we have no possibility of success."
Ahead of October budget negotiations, the two nations called for greater flexibility from Brussels, with Sanchez appealing for "a little more empathy" for governments "on the frontlines trying to respond to citizens' concerns."
Both nations are preparing for elections next year as the far right gains momentum, with Sanchez describing their partnership as leaders of Europe's "resistance to enemies of our continent and the European model.