Pedro Sanchez has been criticised in the past for not joining the "coalition of the willing" to help Ukraine defend itself against Russia in their ongoing war, yet this week he has announced a significant aid package for the beleaguered country.
Pedro Sanchez [El Mundo]
The Spanish Press has reported extensively on this, although I've seen nothing in the UK, USA nor German media, the three countries where I get most of my news.
Pedro Sánchez announces the movement of 817 million euros to arm Ukraine and help with its re-construction
By Raúl Piña
Of the total sum, only 200 million euros in financial instruments, loans, to rebuild Ukraine, and two million to provide heating to a village, are newly allocated.
615 million euros are part of the 1,000 million already committed.
[Freepik]
Volodymyr Zelensky has made a third visit to Spain but this time, off the record.
The bombs and missiles launched by Russia persist.
While he was in Spain the Ukraine leader made visits to the Congress, the Zarzuela, the Reina Sofía Museum to see the Guernica – at the Ukrainian's request – and to La Moncloa.
[Freepik]
It seems to have been worthwhile.
Spain is going to mobilise 817 million euros for defence equipment and aid for the re-construction of Ukraine. Of that amount, however, 615 million euros are already budgeted within the bilateral security agreement signed between the two countries in 2024, which provides for allocating 1,000 million euros annually to Ukraine – Sánchez already anticipated in February that the same amount would be allocated in 2025 – and 202 million euros are newly designated.
[La Razon]
Sánchez's commitment to Zelensky is to mobilise those 615 million "over the next month."
The breakdown of this amount is as follows: shipment of new defensive equipment worth approximately 300 million euros; the transfer of 100 million euros to NATO's PURL program (Ukraine's Prioritized Requirements List) to urgently purchase air defense systems from the US and send them to Ukraine; and the transfer of 215 million euros through the European Union's SAFE Instrument to fund the production of anti-drone systems, surveillance and air radar systems, many of them developed by Spanish companies.
anti-drone systems [elEconomista.es]
Participation of companies in the re-construction
The 202 million euros of new allocation corresponds to a new financial support instrument, coordinated by the new Office for the Reconstruction of Ukraine, which will serve to boost reconstruction, and other projects to the tune of nearly two million euros.
The background of that 200 million in funding for reconstruction is to activate an instrument that allows Spanish companies to participate directly and competitively in the re-construction, modernisation, and expansion of damaged infrastructure, with a special emphasis on sectors such as energy, transport, and water management.
"In these very difficult times, you always remember the friends who helped you and brought clarity to the situation," Zelensky said in a joint appearance with Sánchez at La Moncloa.
Sánchez justified the aid to Ukraine "out of solidarity, coherence, and responsibility. The war it is fighting against Putin's neo-imperialism is a war that seeks to weaken the European project for which we have worked so hard in Spain."
During his stay in Spain, Zelensky met at Indra’s headquarters with a dozen companies from the Spanish defence industry. The meeting was also attended by the Minister of Defence, Margarita Robles.
According to the Ukrainian leader posting on his social media, the Spanish manufacturers presented their developments in areas such as anti-drone systems, turrets, aerial and ground drones, long-range radars, and ammunition, amongst other things.
"Estamos en 2002, pero parece que estamos en 1937 cuando se bombardeó Guernica". Zelenski hizo de este cuadro un símbolo de la guerra en la que estaba inmerso.
Within the framework of this meeting, Zelensky explained that Spain is starting a project to supply long-range radars. "This Spanish manufacturing is unique and could strengthen us greatly. We will try to test it in the one we are suffering."
Detail of Guernica by Picasso [BBC]
The Ukrainian president has shown his willingness to work with Spanish industry for the "joint production of high-precision weaponry."
Earlier in the afternoon, Sánchez and Zelensky took part in a private visit to the Reina Sofía Museum, at the request of the Ukrainian leader, where both were able to admire and pose next to Guernica, painted by Pablo Picasso.
In April 2022, the Ukrainian president delivered an address to the Congress of Deputies via videoconference to denounce the Russian invasion and present the situation in his country. At that time, he compared the situation his nation was going through with the Civil War that took place in Spain: "We are in 2002, but it feels like we are in 1937 when Guernica was bombed." Zelensky said.
During his visit, the President of Ukraine held a meeting at the Zarzuela Palace with Felipe VI, in which the King, according to sources from the Royal Household, expressed Spanish support in all areas - diplomatic, financial, and military - for as long as the Ukrainian people need it. He also confirmed Spain's support for Ukraine's process of joining the European Union.
[Photo courtesy of Onda Cero]
© Paul Whitelock
Images:
BBC, elEconomista.es, El Mundo, Freepik, La Razon, Onda Cero, Wikipedia
Acknowledgements:
BBC, elEconomista.es, El Mundo, Freepik, La Razon, Onda Cero, Paul Whitelock, Raúl Piña, Wikipedia
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BBC, coalition of the willing, elEconomista.es, El Mundo, Enrique VI, Freepik, La Razon, Madrid, Malaga, Onda Cero, Pablo de Ronda, Paul Whitelock, Pedro Sanchez, Raúl Piña, Russia, Spain, Ukraine, Wikipedia