The Minister for Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation, José Manuel Albares, held a meeting today in Madrid with the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Unity of Ukraine, Oleksiy Chernyshov, reiterating Spain's full support and solidarity, as well as the Spanish commitment to maintaining European unity in its support for Ukraine.
Albares insisted to Chernyshov that nothing about Ukraine can be decided without Ukraine, and nothing about European security can be agreed without Europe. 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.
The Spanish minister also recalled that Spain's commitment to Ukraine was evidenced through the contribution of 1 billion euros in military aid for the exercise of the country's right to legitimate self-defence during 2024, included in the agreement that Presidents Sánchez and Zelensky signed in May, and through the 1 billion euros that Spain has committed for the current year. Spain has also provided 110 million euros for humanitarian assistance, donated electricity generators to alleviate the energy crisis caused by Russian bombing, and pledged 415 million euros for the reconstruction of Ukraine.
Albares also highlighted that Spain has taken in 236,000 Ukrainians enjoying temporary protection in our country. Spain is the European Union country with the fourth largest Ukrainian diaspora under this regime, including more than 40,000 young Ukrainians attending classes in our primary and secondary schools.
"Casa Ucrania"
As Ukraine's Minister of National Unity, Chernyshov's main objective is to establish links with the millions of Ukrainians living outside the country's borders, to encourage their return, and to prevent Russian influence from negatively affecting them. In this context, the Ukrainian minister thanked Spain for its support in the opening of Casa Ucrania, a centre soon to be inaugurated in Torrevieja (Alicante) as a place for meeting, training, assistance, participation and re-encounter with their culture for Ukrainians living in Spain.
Click on the following link to
see photos of the meeting.
-NON OFFICIAL TRANSLATION-