<h6><strong>Eduardo González</strong></h6> <h4><strong>The President of the Government, Pedro Sánchez, announced this Monday in Kyiv a new military assistance package for Ukraine worth one billion euros in 2025, which is part of the Bilateral Security and Defense Agreement and is added to the more than one billion granted last year.</strong></h4> Sánchez made this announcement during his visit to Kyiv to participate in the International Summit in support of Ukraine, which commemorates the third anniversary since the beginning of the Russian aggression, according to Moncloa in a press release. Before the start of the summit, Pedro Sánchez participated in a commemorative event at the Monument to the Fallen, to pay tribute to the victims of the conflict. The event was attended by the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, the members of the College of Commissioners, the President of the European Council, António Costa, and the rest of the leaders and political leaders present in Ukraine. During the plenary session, the President of the Government reiterated Spain's condemnation of the war launched by Russian President Vladimir Putin against Ukraine and warned that "the war crimes committed by Putin's regime cannot go unpunished." "We will continue to support Ukraine for as long as necessary," said Pedro Sánchez, who announced a new package of military assistance for Ukraine worth one billion euros in 2025. This economic allocation, which will be used to purchase military equipment and strengthen the capabilities of the Ukrainian army, is part of the Bilateral Security and Defense Agreement, signed in May 2024 and which, with a duration of ten years, covers areas such as humanitarian assistance, the reconstruction of the country and the search for a fair and lasting peace based on International Law. Likewise, this amount is added to the more than one billion granted last year. The President of the Government assured that Spain will work "side by side" with Ukraine in its reconstruction, creating the necessary structures to promote this process and "encouraging Spanish companies to actively participate" in the reconstruction efforts. “Spain is committed to Ukraine’s full sovereignty. Only Ukraine can decide on its future,” insisted Sánchez, who assured that Spain welcomes all efforts aimed at achieving peace, but warned that peace must be achieved through a “fair, sustainable and comprehensive” agreement. To do so, he continued, the agreement must be endorsed by Ukraine, have the participation of Europe and go beyond a simple ceasefire. “Nothing about Ukraine without Ukraine, and nothing about European security without Europe,” he added. Pedro Sánchez also stressed the importance of Ukraine joining the European Union soon, considering that its accession would constitute the most important victory for the Ukrainian people. Finally, the President of the Government assured that Spain “admires the courage with which the Ukrainians are defending freedom and democracy, an example of dignity and resistance against the brutal aggression of Putin’s regime.” “Ukraine’s hope is in Europe, but Europe’s hope is also in Ukraine,” he continued. “There are still difficult months ahead, but I am convinced that at the end of this terrible period, freedom and democracy will prevail over the logic of violence and authoritarianism,” he concluded. <h5><strong>Zelensky </strong></h5> On the other hand, Pedro Sánchez held a bilateral meeting with the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, on the sidelines of the international summit, in which he reiterated that Spain will continue to support his country for as long as necessary to achieve "a fair and lasting peace" and conveyed the Government's commitment to the reconstruction of Ukraine and its willingness to support Spanish companies in their efforts to contribute to the country's economic development, according to Moncloa in a note a few hours ago. Pedro Sánchez also highlighted the Government's willingness to continue supporting the Ukrainian diaspora in Spain, with the creation of a 'Casa Ukraine' in Torrevieja, Alicante. For his part, President Zelensky thanked the President of the Government for both his constant support and his visit to Ukraine on the third anniversary of the start of the aggression. <h5><strong>Albares and the FAC</strong></h5> On the other hand, the third anniversary of the invasion of Ukraine and the change of course of the United States regarding this conflict were the main topics of the EU Foreign Affairs Council (FAC) held this Monday in Brussels. At the meeting, the ministers of the 27 countries held an informal exchange of views by videoconference with their Ukrainian counterpart, Andrii Sybiha, and approved the sixteenth package of restrictive economic and individual measures against Russia, which affects vital sectors of the Russian economy and includes among its objectives the so-called Russian “ghost fleet” that helps Moscow avoid sanctions on hydrocarbons. Speaking to the media before entering the Council, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, José Manuel Albares, warned that the peace that is negotiated for Ukraine - after the decision of the American and Russian presidents, Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin, to start talks and exclude Ukraine and the EU from them - "cannot have a reward for the aggressor" and demanded that "the democratically elected Government of Ukraine!" and the European countries participate in these negotiations, because "everything that we are and everything that we Europeans believe in is at stake." According to Albares, Spain is “in favour” of analysing Kaja Kallas’ proposal to promote a new fund to provide Ukraine with more artillery ammunition, air defences and to resupply the Ukrainian brigades this year in view of the peace negotiations. The proposal was presented at the CAE and, according to Kallas’ statement at the subsequent press conference, there is “broad support” within the European Union. She also explained that the proposal will be on the agenda of the extraordinary meeting of the European Council on March 6, 2025. The High Representative did not specify “specific figures”. European sources quoted by Europa Press have indicated that the package would be between 6 billion and 35 billion euros. In any case, Albares again ruled out the possibility of opening a debate on the deployment of a peacekeeping force because, "unfortunately," there is still a conflict in Ukraine. “Hopefully one day we will be able to talk about a peace mission, but we are not there yet,” he warned. “These are times when we Europeans have to analyse what the future of Europe is and at this time we are faced with challenges that we have to face” and, therefore, “I am going to ask that we also reflect on the way in which Europe should increase its security capabilities,” he declared. These capabilities, he continued, “must include the capacity to have rapid deployment forces that could even be the embryo of a European army that we have talked about so many times.” To this end, Albares proposed - in the same line as Pedro Sánchez and the Minister of Economy, Carlos Cuerpo - the mobilisation of “sufficient financial resources that are European and that do not only rest on national budgets” to reinforce the defence of the EU, “because the threat is European and therefore the response has to be European.” <h5><strong>Statement from Foreign Ministry</strong></h5> For its part, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has released a statement on Monday stating that, “on the third anniversary of the beginning of the invasion of Ukraine by Russia, Spain pays tribute to the tens of thousands of victims of an unjustifiable aggression contrary to the most basic rules of international law.” “Spain reiterates its strongest condemnation of this aggression and demands its immediate end and the withdrawal of Russian troops from the entire territory of Ukraine,” the text continues. “While Russia redoubles its attacks, Ukraine continues to defend its sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity, and, with them, the principles and values that underpin international order and security in Europe,” it adds. “Spain will continue to provide all kinds of support to Ukraine for the exercise of its legitimate defense, in a coordinated manner with its partners and allies; The Ministry of Foreign Affairs will contribute to the reconstruction of Ukraine and will work to ensure that the crimes committed by the aggressors do not go unpunished,” says the Foreign Ministry. “Spain reiterates its commitment to a just, lasting and comprehensive peace, the result of negotiations in which Ukraine itself necessarily participates, and which results in the strengthening of respect for international law,” it concludes.
