Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares has said that his country's assistance to Ukraine this year will amount to about one billion euros.

Source: El País, as reported by European Pravda

Details: According to Albares, this sum will include both the purchase of weapons in the US for Ukraine under the PURL programme and spending on other equipment, such as generators, to mitigate the consequences of Russian attacks on Ukraine's energy infrastructure ahead of winter.

"Spain has a long-term commitment to Ukraine's sovereignty and defence and will uphold it for as long as the war continues," he said.

In response to a question about the scale of this commitment, the minister said that last year Spain allocated one billion euros to Ukraine for the purchase of military equipment and that "something similar" is expected this year.

He also noted that, in addition to these amounts for armaments, Spain provides other forms of assistance.

Albares recalled in particular that Spain has taken in 250,000 Ukrainian refugees, including 40,000 children.

He stressed that Spain supports Ukraine's accession to the EU, as well as the creation of a special tribunal to prosecute Russian officials responsible for the crime of aggression.

The minister expressed confidence that the left-wing Sumar party, the junior partner of the Socialist Party in the coalition government, which traditionally opposes defence spending, will not block the provision of military assistance to Kyiv.

"The entire government is united in the desire for peace in Ukraine and Europe; the entire government understands that a great deal is at stake in Ukraine: its sovereignty and freedom, as well as human rights, international law and international humanitarian law," he emphasised.

Background:

• On 18 November, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy is visiting Spain.
• Commenting on his visit to Spain, Zelenskyy said that Ukraine is working to ensure that the meeting with Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez "brings agreements that will give us greater strength".

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