<h6><strong>Eduardo González</strong></h6> <h4><strong>Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares received this Friday in Madrid the Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Unity, Oleksiy Chernyshov, to whom he highlighted Kyiv's efforts "in the process of achieving a just and lasting peace" and who attended the inauguration the day before in Torrevieja (Alicante) of the first Ukrainian House to support and advise refugees fleeing the war.</strong></h4> During the meeting, held at the ministerial headquarters in the Viana Palace, Albares insisted that "nothing about Ukraine can be decided without Ukraine" and that "nothing about European security can be agreed upon without Europe," according to a press release from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The Spanish minister also praised "Ukraine's efforts in the process for a just and lasting peace, in accordance with the principles of the United Nations Charter" and highlighted Spain's commitment to Ukraine, which "was demonstrated by the contribution of €1 billion in military aid for the exercise of the country's right to self-defense throughout 2024, included in the agreement signed by Presidents Pedro Sánchez and Volodymyr Zelensky in May, and by the €1 billion that Spain has committed for this year." Albares also noted that, with 236,000 people, Spain is the fourth country in the European Union that has hosted the most Ukrainians since the beginning of the Russian invasion in February 2022, including the "more than 40,000 young Ukrainians who attend classes in our schools and institutes," according to the Ministry. As has been customary since Albares took office, the bilateral meeting was not covered by the press. <h5><strong>House of Ukraine</strong></h5> As Ukraine's Minister of National Unity, Chernyshov's main objective is to establish ties with the millions of Ukrainians living outside the country's borders, encourage their return, and prevent Russian influence from negatively affecting them. In this context, the Ukrainian minister expressed his gratitude for Spain's support for the opening of House of Ukraine, which was inaugurated this Thursday in Torrevieja (Alicante). It will serve as a meeting place, training center, assistance center, participation center, and cultural reconnection center for Ukrainians living in Spain. The center is located in the facilities of the Reception, Care, and Referral Center for Displaced Persons from Ukraine, which the Ministry of Inclusion launched in 2022, at the beginning of the invasion, and where 48,000 people have already been served. During the opening ceremony, Oleksiy Chernyshov and the Minister of Inclusion, Social Security, and Migration, Elma Saiz, signed a joint declaration promoting the creation of Ukrainian Houses in Spain. Spain thus becomes the third country to join the Unity Hub, a project to create centers in Europe to support and advise Ukrainian refugees. “The signing of this declaration for the creation of the Ukrainian House is not just an agreement between governments; it is a symbol of support, unity, and hope in difficult times,” Saiz stated. “What began as an emergency measure has today become a space where we strengthen our cooperation, moving forward in the creation of stronger and more lasting structures to support the Ukrainian community in Spain,” she added. “We are grateful to Spain for its solidarity and unconditional support. Let's continue working together!” Oleksiy Chernyshov wrote on social media.
