Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez during an official visit to Spain on March 18. The leaders discussed various areas of cooperation and signed several agreements aimed at enhancing relations between their countries.
The meeting included a joint press conference, which was broadcast by the Office of the President of Ukraine.
Spain’s Support for Ukraine’s EU Aspirations
Prime Minister Sánchez reaffirmed Spain’s commitment to Ukraine’s integration into the European Union. He stated, “The future of the European Union is linked to Ukraine… The Spanish government and the entire society believe that Ukraine should be part of the EU.”
Military Assistance from Spain to Ukraine
Sánchez characterized Russia’s war against Ukraine as “unjust and illegal,” emphasizing that the Russian government miscalculated the prospect of a swift victory. He noted that since 2022, Spain has allocated billions of euros in military support to Ukraine.
“In particular, we have earmarked 1 billion euros for military support in 2026. Spain’s total assistance in this conflict amounts to 4 billion euros. This will involve co-production of materials between the Spanish Ministry of Defense and the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense,” Sánchez explained, adding that Madrid has recently begun funding the SAFE initiative.
Defense and Economic Cooperation Between Ukraine and Spain
President Zelenskyy highlighted the establishment of new defense agreements between Kyiv and Madrid, which will involve the private sector. He stated, “There is progress in economic and infrastructural cooperation between us… Humanitarian and diplomatic interactions continue to develop as well. Today, we paid significant attention with Prime Minister Sánchez to the protection of Ukrainian airspace.”
Zelenskyy also mentioned a signed agreement regarding Ukrainian-Spanish collaboration in infrastructure, specifically a contract between a Spanish railway company and Ukrzaliznytsia, Ukraine’s state railway operator.
“This grant agreement will allow Ukraine to enhance its logistical capabilities and will further strengthen our ties with the European Union and all partners in Europe,” he added.
EU Credit Facility for Ukraine
Further details regarding a potential 90 billion euro credit facility from the EU for Ukraine were also discussed, although specifics were not provided during the press conference.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez met to discuss bilateral cooperation, focusing on military support, EU integration, and infrastructure agreements. The leaders emphasized their commitment to strengthening ties between Ukraine and Spain.