MADRID: Spain on Monday pledged to provide one billion euros in military assistance to Ukraine as Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez and Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky signed a security agreement in Madrid.
Sanchez told a joint news conference that the deal includes a commitment of one billion euros in military aid for 2024.
He said that the aid will allow Ukraine to enhance its capabilities including its essential air defense systems to protect its cities, civilians, and infrastructure which are still suffering attacks as seen this weekend in Kharkiv. He was referring to a Russian strike on the northeastern city that killed at least 16 people.
Zelensky’s visit comes at a time when Ukraine has been battling a Russian ground offensive in the Kharkiv region which started on May 10 in Moscow’s biggest territorial advance in 18 months.
With the Russian war now in its third year, Ukraine has been seeking more arms for its outgunned and outnumbered troops, to address its lack of air defense systems.
According to El Pais newspaper, the agreement would include new Patriot missiles and Leopard tanks. Zelensky has already signed bilateral security pacts with several nations including France, Germany, and the UK.
Sanchez said the security deal would cover a range of different issues.
He said the agreement is based on a comprehensive overview of security and covers several areas such as humanitarian, military, and financial support, as well as cooperation between Spanish and Ukrainian defense industries. It would also help with reconstruction and de-mining among other things.
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