Sánchez announces €615 million in military aid to Ukraine and reaffirms support for Zelensky

MadridVolodymyr Zelensky, back on his European tour, stopped in Spain on Tuesday and received the support of Pedro Sánchez, who announced €615 million in military aid to Ukraine. The Spanish president explained that the state will mobilize this new package over the next month. It includes €100 million to finance, through a NATO program (called PURL), the purchase of "urgent equipment" from the US defense industry, which, according to the Ukrainian president, is necessary to get through this winter. "We are looking for money for Patriot missile systems," he emphasized. The Spanish package also includes the shipment of approximately €300 million in "new defensive equipment," within the framework of the €1 billion bilateral security agreement for this year, as well as a transfer of €215 million through the European SAFE mechanism to finance the "production of anti-drone systems, search and surveillance radars," said Sánchez.

In addition, Spain will launch a new financial support instrument, worth 200 million euros, for the reconstruction of Ukraine. Sánchez announced this in a joint appearance at the Moncloa Palace, where he reaffirmed Spain's "total and firm" commitment to Ukraine. The Spanish president guaranteed that support for Zelensky will continue until a "just and lasting" peace is achieved and Ukraine can join the European Union. "We know that the war Ukraine is waging against Putin's neo-imperialism is also a war that seeks to weaken the European project for which we, including Spain, have worked so hard for 40 years," said Sánchez, who affirmed to a grateful Ukrainian president that "the hearts of the Spanish people" are with them. Zelensky celebrated that the signing of the bilateral agreements with Spain marks the beginning of a "unique collaboration." "It is decisive support; Spain is helping our defense," the Ukrainian acknowledged.

Zelensky has visited Spain for the third time since the start of the Russian invasion, with an agenda that culminated in this meeting with Sánchez. During his previous stop in France, Zelensky signed an agreement with French President Emmanuel Macron, which the Ukrainian leader described as "historic." This agreement involves the purchase of military equipment from France, including one hundred Rafale F4 fighter jets over the next ten years. Ahead of his visit to Spain, Zelensky had already expressed confidence that it would be "productive" and had prioritized the supply of missiles and anti-aircraft systems. In his press conference, the Ukrainian president said he hopes other European countries will "follow Spain's example."

Beyond Sánchez, Zelensky also received a warm welcome from the Speaker of the Congress, the Socialist Francina Armengol, and the President of the Senate, the Popular Party's Pedro Rollán. The Ukrainian leader's agenda began early in the morning at the lower house, which he visited accompanied by these two officials. Hours later, King Felipe VI received him at the Zarzuela Palace. The monarch reaffirmed to Zelensky Spain's support for Ukraine in all areas for as long as necessary. Before meeting with Sánchez at Moncloa Palace, both leaders visited the Reina Sofía Museum. Specifically, the room where the Guernica Picasso's painting, an international symbol of rejection of war.

In a 2022 address to Congress via videoconference, President Zelensky compared his country's situation to that suffered by the Basque town in 1937. Sánchez referred to the address and said he is confident that, as happened in Spain, "economic development" will be a positive development.

Zelensky also met with representatives of the Spanish defense industry at Indra's headquarters, accompanied by the Minister of Defense, Margarita Robles. The Ukrainian president's last official visit to Spain was in May 2024. Sánchez and Zelensky signed an agreement in which Spain committed to to provide non-refundable military aid worth a record €1 billion last year.

Before this in-person meeting in Spain, Zelensky had already visited Granada in October 2023 for the European Union summit. This new visit is marked by Russian advances on the southeastern front. Aside from the delicate military situation, Zelensky is facing a politically complicated moment due to a corruption scandal that has led to the resignation of two of his ministers. They have been linked to a network that received kickbacks on contracts awarded by the national nuclear energy company. Zelensky's next stop will be Turkey to "revitalize negotiations" with Russia. The Ukrainian president has said he will speak with his Turkish counterpart, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, to "discuss maximal possibilities for achieving a just peace for Ukraine."