Josep Borrell

Josep Borrell Fontelles (born 1947 in Pobla de Segur, Catalonia) is a Spanish economist and politician affiliated with the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE). He led EU foreign policy as High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and concurrently served as a Vice-President of the European Commission under Ursula von der Leyen, taking office on 1 December 2019 and concluding his mandate on 1 December 2024, when he was succeeded by Estonia's Kaja Kallas.

Before the EU role, Borrell had a long political career in Spain. He served as Minister of Public Works, Transport and the Environment (1991–1996) under Felipe González, and briefly as PSOE candidate for prime minister before resigning in 1999. He was President of the European Parliament from 2004 to 2007, and Spain's Minister of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation from 2018 to 2019 under Pedro Sánchez.

As High Representative, Borrell chaired the Foreign Affairs Council, directed the European External Action Service (EEAS), and coordinated the Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP) and Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP). His tenure was dominated by:

• The EU response to Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine, including coordination of successive sanctions packages and the activation of the European Peace Facility to finance lethal aid to Ukraine.
• Management of EU–China relations amid growing strategic rivalry.
• The EU's posture on the Israel–Hamas war following the 7 October 2023 attacks, where Borrell repeatedly called for a humanitarian ceasefire and criticised Israeli conduct in Gaza, occasionally diverging from positions of some member states.
• A controversial March 2022 visit to Tehran and a February 2022 trip to Moscow (2021, with Sergey Lavrov) that drew criticism for being diplomatically unproductive.

Borrell is also known for his book El viejo continente ante la nueva era and his framing of Europe as a "garden" surrounded by a "jungle," a remark made in October 2022 that generated significant controversy.