Eduardo González
The Minister of Defense, Margarita Robles, participated yesterday by videoconference in the first ministerial meeting of 2024 of the Contact Group for the Defense of Ukraine, before which she announced that Spain will reinforce the training of Ukrainian forces in anti-aircraft defense and underwater demining.
The meeting was called and opened by the Secretary of State of the United States, Lloyd Austin, who then gave way to the Ukrainian Minister of Defense, Rustem Umerov, according to the Ministry of Defense in a press release. Subsequently, the participants were briefed on the situation on the battlefield and on the short-term needs of the Ukrainian armed forces and the situation of the defense industry.
During the interventions of the participating ministers, Robles, who was accompanied by the Secretary General of Defense Policy, Admiral Juan Francisco Martínez Núñez, stated that it is “precisely now”, a few days before the second anniversary of the Russian invasion, “when unity and support for Ukraine becomes more crucial.”
The minister highlighted the work of specialized multinational coalitions as a good method to coordinate support for Ukraine in the long term. Spain plans to contribute to the Maritime Security, Field Artillery, Land Anti-Aircraft Defense, Information Technologies and Demining Coalitions.
Regarding training, Margarita Robles confirmed that Spain will continue to be very active in this field, as demonstrated by the more than 3,500 Ukrainian soldiers who have already received training in Spain, and announced new specialized training modules in the Patriot anti-aircraft systems, NASAMS and Hawk, as well as underwater demining.
Finally, and within the support that Spain provides to Ukraine in the humanitarian field, the minister reported that the program has been successfully initiated to accommodate four hundred relatives of Ukrainian soldiers who have fallen in combat in military residences, who will be able to Enjoy a few days of rest away from the horrors of war. To conclude her intervention, Robles reiterated Spain’s firm commitment to supporting Ukraine for as long as necessary.
