<h6><strong>Eduardo González</strong></h6> <h4><strong>Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares defended this Monday the European Union's adoption of "sustainable and predictable financing" for Ukraine and the need to "carefully analyze" the best way to "incentivize" Russia to accept the ceasefire proposed by Washington and Kyiv and to "do so without conditions" with a view to "a just and lasting peace."</strong></h4> "Today, an important part of the debate will be how to achieve predictable and sustainable financing for Ukraine" that is "in line with what Spain, through the President of the Government (Pedro Sánchez), announced during his visit to Kyiv, with one billion euros for this year," Albares declared in Brussels upon his arrival at the Foreign Affairs Council meeting. Regarding the €40 billion aid proposed by the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Kaja Kallas, Albares stated that no decision has yet been made on the matter and added that "Spain has not needed a proposal from the High Representative to commit €1 billion for this year, as we have done in previous years." "Spain is, therefore, leading the way in this regard and setting an example, and what I hope is that everyone will make national contributions, as Spain has done," he added. Furthermore, the minister reported that one of the objectives of the EAC is "to carefully analyze the best way to encourage Russia to accept this first step, this ceasefire, which President (Ukrainian President Volodymyr) Zelensky has put on the table, and to do so without conditions, because this peace must be a just peace so that it can, in turn, be a lasting peace." Regarding the Middle East, Albares reported that several European foreign ministers, "at Spain's initiative," have sent a letter to the High Representative in support of the Arab League plan, which Spain certainly strongly supports. "We want humanitarian aid to continue to be able to enter as it has been until now, without any restrictions, and for it to help restore some normal life for the Gazans, who are the ones who should be living in Gaza, and Gaza must be part of the future Palestinian state," he declared. "Of course, we condemn all power cuts, which are contrary to international law, and the United Nations has expressed itself in this way on numerous occasions," he continued. "Spain will continue promoting this Global Alliance for the two-state solution, and we will be an active participant, as must the EU as well, in the United Nations Conference to be held in June," he added. Regarding Syria, Albares reported that Spain will announce at this FAC "a new package of almost ten million euros in humanitarian aid to go directly to the needs of the Syrian population" and warned that "all violence must cease within Syria and, at the same time, the rights of all ethnic and religious minorities, and of course, women's rights, must be respected." "I will, of course, welcome the agreement reached with the Kurds so that they are increasingly integrated into Syria's peaceful and inclusive future," he added. Regarding the debate that will take place at this FAC on relations between the EU and the US, Albares stated that "we all want to have a mutually beneficial relationship in terms of trade and Euro-Atlantic security, as we Europeans have had for decades." However, he warned, "We also want to do so based on our values, on defending our interests, and on defending the single market for our producers, our entrepreneurs, our workers, and our farmers, against any tariff threat."
