Spain pledges €1 billion in new aid for Ukraine as Zelenskyy visits Madrid PHOTO

Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares has announced that Spain’s assistance to Ukraine this year will amount to around one billion euros.

This sum includes the purchase of U.S.-made weapons for Ukraine under the PURL programme, as well as spending on equipment — including generators — to mitigate the impact of Russian strikes on the energy system ahead of winter, Caliber.Az reports, citing El País.

“Spain has a long-term commitment to supporting Ukraine’s sovereignty and defence, and it will maintain this commitment until the end of the war,” Albares stressed. Last year, the country also allocated around one billion euros in military aid to Ukraine.

The minister added that Spain provides other forms of assistance as well. Since the start of the conflict, Spain has taken in 250,000 Ukrainian refugees, including 40,000 children. Albares also underlined Spain’s support for Ukraine’s path toward EU membership.

The announcement comes as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is currently on a working visit to Spain.

During the trip, Zelenskyy met with Spanish manufacturers of weapons and defence equipment, noting in his Telegram channel that “strong radar systems, drone technologies, [and] essential equipment — all of this is a major contribution to saving lives.”

He added that he would discuss with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez ways to strengthen Ukraine’s defence capabilities, as well as cooperation between Spanish and Ukrainian industries. “The more bilateral ties with EU member states, the deeper Ukraine’s integration with Europe,” Zelenskyy stressed.

By Khagan Isayev