Madrid, Nov 18 (EFE).- Spain will release 615 million euros in military assistance for Ukraine next month and an additional 202 million euros for reconstruction, Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez announced Tuesday during Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s official visit to Madrid.
Sánchez said the new package is part of the 1 billion euros in military aid Spain pledged for 2025 under a bilateral security agreement signed last year.
“Spain’s support for Ukraine is total and unwavering,” Sánchez said at a joint press conference, stressing that the backing will continue “until a just and lasting peace is achieved” and Ukraine can join the European Union.
Zelenskyy welcomed the announcement, noting that Spain’s contribution will allow the purchase of new air-defense missiles.
“In these very difficult moments, you always remember the friends who helped you,” he said.
Of the 615 million euros to be disbursed in December, 100 million euros will go to NATO’s PURL program to fast-track the acquisition of air-defense systems from the United States.
Another 215 million comes from the EU’s SAFE program and will support the production of anti-drone systems, surveillance radars, and other equipment, much of it manufactured by Spanish companies.
The package also includes nearly 300 million euros in military material that Spain will deliver next month.
Earlier in the day, King Felipe VI reaffirmed Spain’s support “in all areas, diplomatic, financial and military, for as long as necessary,” including backing Ukraine’s EU accession process.
Bilateral deals and defense industry cooperation Before the press conference, Sánchez and Zelenskyy witnessed the signing of five bilateral agreements and memorandums covering financial cooperation, economic relations, tourism, and joint efforts to combat Russian disinformation.
A fifth agreement was signed between Spanish companies EM&E and Tecnove and the Ukrainian armored-vehicle manufacturer Practika, aimed at developing advanced mobile solutions for defense, security, and civil-protection sectors.
Zelenskyy highlighted the growing joint production between the Spanish and Ukrainian defense industries, saying it will be “very significant and very important for the future” and an example for other European nations.
The Ukrainian leader arrived in Spain after visiting France and will travel to Türkiye on Wednesday.
Reconstruction funds and pressure on Russia Sánchez also announced 202 million euros for Ukraine’s reconstruction, including 2 million euros to restore the central heating system in the town of Sammar, a project carried out with the United Nations.
The funds aim to ensure Spanish companies can participate competitively in rebuilding and modernizing infrastructure destroyed by Russia’s invasion, especially in critical sectors such as energy, water, and transport.
Zelenskyy urged the international community to maintain pressure on Moscow.
In response to ongoing debates within the EU, Sánchez defended using frozen Russian state assets to finance reconstruction.
“Russia is destroying Ukraine, and those funds should be used for air defense or other essential supplies,” Zelensky said, calling the measure both fair and necessary. EFE nl-bb/seo
