In his inaugural visit to Madrid on Monday, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz discussed the expansion of renewable energies in Europe with Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez.
Scholz said he wants to make progress in green energy policy together with Spain.
"Spain and Germany are both very ambitious. We want to achieve fast progress in the expansion of renewables," the chancellor said.
"The expansion of wind and solar power - that is important. And of course this also includes doing everything we can to make this an economically successful enterprise, to ensure that the grids are good and that there are good connections between us and our neighbours," said Scholz.
Scholz received a thank you from Sánchez for his support in the negotiations for EU financial aid to overcome the coronavirus pandemic.
As the then-German finance minister in 2020, "Scholz played a leading role in this matter. I thank him for that," Sánchez said during a joint press conference.
Recovery aid
Spain was hit particularly hard by the pandemic in 2020 and is benefiting from the EU recovery aid.
In terms of combatting the pandemic, Spain has a higher vaccination rate than Germany, with at least 85 per cent of Spaniards having had at least one shot, compared to 75 per cent of Germans.
Since taking office, Scholz has already travelled to France, Poland and Italy, and has also made trips to the European Union and NATO headquarters in Brussels.
