Spain could send military capabilities to Moldova as a “border country in the conflict”

The Diplomat Defense Minister Margarita Robles assured her Moldovan counterpart, Anatolie Nosatii, on Thursday that Spain could consider “deploying capabilities” to Moldova due to its status as a “border country in the conflict zone” in Ukraine. Robles was received by Nosatii in Chisinau, the capital of Moldova, on the second and final day of her tour of the region, which began Wednesday in Kyiv. This is the first official visit by a Spanish Defense Minister to Moldova, a country that shares more than 1,000 kilometers of border with Ukraine. In her meeting with the Moldovan minister, Margarita Robles emphasized “Spain’s unwavering commitment to Ukraine,” which is especially important for Moldova, whose government “feels threatened almost daily on its territory,” according to a press release from the Ministry of Defense. “We defend the same values: human rights, international law, and peace,” she continued. Therefore, she affirmed, “we will continue to provide assistance, and within the framework of the European Union's priority program, we will maintain our collaboration and consider the possibility of deploying capabilities to Moldova, a neighboring country in the conflict zone.” The meeting held in Chisinau, which was also attended by the Secretary General for Defense Policy, Admiral Juan Francisco Martínez Núñez, concludes the Minister of Defense's trip to Ukraine and Moldova. In Kyiv, Margarita Robles participated in a wreath-laying ceremony at the Wall of Remembrance in honor of the defenders of Ukraine and received the Order of Princess Olga, Third Class, from President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, in recognition of Spain's military and humanitarian support to the country. She also met with the head of the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine, Valeriy Vavrynyuk, and with the Ukrainian Deputy Minister of Defense for European Integration, Serhii Bolev, to whom she highlighted the capabilities and potential of the Spanish defense industry. To both Zelenskyy and Bolev, Robles announced the upcoming delivery of “a significant number of tactical armored vehicles.” The new shipment will begin with the first units at the beginning of May and will be complemented with 155mm ammunition. For his part, Zelenskyy thanked Spain for “the support for Ukrainian anti-missile air defense with Hawk and Patriot missiles.” “This weaponry is scarce, and that is why Spain’s help is so important for our defense against massive Russian attacks,” he added.

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