Albares takes Spain's support to Ukraine and announces 10 million euros more in humanitarian aid

The Minister for Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation, José Manuel Albares, at the inauguration in Ukraine of a cultural centre created thanks to the Spain-UNESCO Trust Fund for Development Cooperation

The Minister of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation, José Manuel Albares, travelled to Ukraine to assess the impact of the Russian aggression on Ukrainian territory and to reiterate Spain's support for the country's authorities, to whom he announced the delivery of an additional 10 million euros in humanitarian aid.

Albares, who returned to Ukraine on Tuesday 28 January for the third time since Putin started the war, began his trip in Lviv with an agenda that included political and diplomatic support for the Ukrainian government, humanitarian and reconstruction aid for the Ukrainian people, and protection of the country's heritage and culture.

Along these lines, Albares inaugurated a cultural centre created thanks to the Spain-UNESCO Trust Fund for Development Cooperation together with his Ukrainian counterpart, Andrii Sybiha, and the Director-General of UNESCO, Audrey Azoulay. This centre, financed by AECID, was created with the aim of creating a space specifically dedicated to culture as a factor of peace and resilience in the war and post-war context in Ukraine, a country whose cultural productive fabric has lost 90% of its resources as a result of the war unleashed by the Russian invasion.

This centre adds to Spain's comprehensive commitment to Ukraine's recovery, which materialised today with a new announcement of 10 million euros in humanitarian aid from Spanish Cooperation, which is in addition to the 100 million that Spain has delivered to Ukraine since the war began. In addition to this humanitarian aid, there is also reconstruction aid, which has accumulated 400 million euros since the beginning of the Russian aggression.

Medical trainers

Spain's solidarity with Ukraine, over and above financial support, was also highlighted during Minister Albares' visit to the hospital in Lviv, where he announced that Spain will send a Spanish team of medical trainers to help the Ukrainian hospital staff with their training.

The meeting in Lviv with his Ukrainian counterpart allowed him to hold a bilateral in which they analysed the current situation together, and in which Albares reiterated Spain's support for Ukraine in the face of Russian aggression. This support is reflected in the fulfilment of the bilateral military aid commitments with Ukraine agreed last year by the President of the Government of Spain, Pedro Sánchez, and his Ukrainian counterpart, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, with the delivery of military equipment and the training of Ukrainian military personnel in Spain within the framework of the European EUAM mission, with nearly 7,000 military personnel trained.

Accession to the EU

During the meeting with Sybiha, Albares also reiterated support for the process of accession to the European Union, which began during the Spanish presidency of the EU, after reminding him that Spain has always expressed its firm support for this accession. The minister was also very firm in insisting on continued support for Ukraine's territorial integrity and sovereignty, noting that no peace can be agreed for Ukraine without Ukraine, nor on European security without Europe.

During his working day, the minister also visited the cemetery in Lviv, where he paid tribute to the fallen. He visited the historic centre of the Ukrainian city in the company of the Director-General of UNESCO and the Ukrainian Ministers of Foreign Affairs, Andrii Sybiha, and Culture, Mykola Tochytsky. He also held a bilateral meeting with the latter. In addition, he also had time to visit the FestRepúblik art space.

Non official translation