President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says Ukraine wants at the very least seven extra Patriot launchers to defend itself in opposition to Russian air assaults.
Spain has pledged 1 billion euros ($1.1bn) in army assist to Ukraine as Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy have signed a safety deal in Madrid.
The deal “features a dedication for 1 billion euros in army assist for 2024”, Sanchez stated at a joint information convention on Monday.
The pact, which covers the subsequent decade, requires the provision of contemporary army tools for floor, aerial, naval and different makes use of, “prioritising Ukraine’s key capability wants”, and an emphasis on defending sea routes for Ukraine’s meals exports, but it surely gave no specifics.
“It should enable Ukraine to spice up its capabilities together with its important air defence techniques to guard its civilians, cities and infrastructure, that are nonetheless struggling indiscriminate assaults as seen this weekend in Kharkiv,” Sanchez stated, referring to a Russian strike on the northeastern metropolis that killed at the very least 16 individuals at a {hardware} hypermarket on Saturday.
Zelenskyy visited the Spanish capital as Ukraine battles a Russian floor offensive within the Kharkiv area that started on Might 10 in Moscow’s largest territorial advances in 18 months.
With Russia’s full-scale invasion now in its third yr, Ukraine has been pleading for extra weapons for its outgunned and outnumbered troops, notably searching for assist to deal with its lack of air defence techniques.
Sanchez stated Spain had already pledged to produce Patriot missiles however what Zelenskyy wanted from Ukraine’s allies was “the techniques to launch these missiles”.
In a submit on the social media platform X, Zelenskyy thanked Spain for “its tangible and actually life-saving assist to Ukraine on this time of conflict” and stated he additionally mentioned how Madrid might play a job in strengthening Kyiv’s air defences.
Spain will ship “one other batch of Leopard tanks and above all ammunition”, Sanchez stated, pledging to maintain working with Kyiv “to grasp how else – and with what different various techniques – we might help guarantee Ukraine’s air safety”.
At this time in Madrid, Prime Minister @sanchezcastejon and I signed a bilateral settlement on safety cooperation.
Spain will present Ukraine with €1 billion in army help this yr and extra €5 billion for the interval 2024-2027 by way of the Ukraine Help Fund beneath… pic.twitter.com/zETHgcb44o
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) Might 27, 2024
Zelenskyy has signed bilateral safety agreements with a number of different nations, together with France, Germany and the UK.
He stated Ukraine wanted at the very least seven extra Patriot missile launchers to defend itself and would stress its allies to acquire them.
The president stated Russian forces have used about 3,200 guided aerial bombs this month.
“How do you battle that? There aren’t sufficient air defence missiles to cease hundreds of bombs a month. … These companions who’re afraid to provide us this or that weapon ought to perceive that air defence is defence, not offence,” he added.
Zelenskyy will subsequent go to the Portuguese capital, Lisbon, the place he’s scheduled to satisfy Prime Minister Luis Montenegro and President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa on Tuesday and is predicted to signal an identical 10-year settlement.