Sánchez once again calls on Putin to end the war, withdraw Russian troops from Ukraine and respect its territorial integrity

Madrid

During his speech, the president stressed that the Atlantic Alliance is facing a moment of enormous importance and that Russia's illegal, unjustified and unprovoked aggression against Ukraine is a direct attack on the multilateral security architecture built up over decades.

"Faced with the challenge, NATO has demonstrated the necessity of its existence by reacting swiftly and decisively, sending a message of unity and cohesion to our societies in defence of democracy. And it has done so, moreover, with intelligence and moderation, avoiding at all times an escalation of unpredictable consequences that no one wants", stressed the President of the Government of Spain. To this effect, as Pedro Sánchez pointed out, NATO has been strengthened, as demonstrated by the Madrid Strategic Concept and the accession applications of Finland and Sweden.

"The consequences for the population will be severe and may further delay Ukraine's progress, as key supplies run out and logistics become more complicated," the chief executive stressed. Spain has condemned these actions and immediately provided Ukraine with air defence systems and portable power generators.

The President of the Government of Spain, Pedro Sánchez, during his speech at the plenary session of the 68th NATO Parliamentary Assembly | Pool Moncloa / Fernando Calvo

In this situation, as the president underlined, "it has been a source of pride to see how the women and men of my country have understood that Ukraine's cause is their own". In the humanitarian field, Spain has allocated an aid package worth €38 million to Ukraine, the largest ever granted to a single country. There are also 135,000 Ukrainians in temporary protection, with some 35,000 children in school. Spain has pledged €250 million for the future reconstruction of Ukraine.

Spain has also supported Ukraine with military material, and with almost €270 million allocated to the European Peace Support Fund for the shipment of military material. In addition, Spain has increased its military presence on the eastern flank, as shown by the presence of more than 600 troops in Lithuania and the participation of Spanish ships and aircraft in Alliance operations. Spain currently has 1,500 troops deployed in NATO operations.

"We are well aware that there are victims of this war beyond Ukraine's borders and they must also be protected. We are doing so with our citizens, deploying an unprecedented social shield of more than €35 billion to deal with the consequences of inflation," stressed Sánchez.

The President of the Government of Spain concluded his speech by emphasising that "We are witnessing the cruelest face of the Russian president's flight forward. But we know that Ukraine will resist. We know that the world order will prevail. And we know the ways to achieve this: firmness in the face of unreason, a just response to provocation, and unity to restore peace, order and freedom.

Meeting between the President of the Government of Spain and the Secretary General of NATO

Meeting between the President of the Government of Spain, Pedro Sánchez, and the Secretary General of NATO, Jens Stoltenberg, in the framework of the 68th NATO Parliamentary Assembly | Pool Moncloa / Fernando Calvo

In the margins of the meeting, the President of the Government of Spain met with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg to discuss the evolution of the commitments made at the Madrid Summit, the forthcoming NATO Summit in Lithuania, and the international geopolitical situation.

The new Deterrence and Defence posture must ensure the defence of all Allies, against all threats and from all directions. In this regard, the eastern flank is being strengthened, but without losing sight of the need for a 360° approach to threats, thereby paying attention to the southern flank. For this reason, Sánchez and Stoltenberg spoke of the need to maintain reinforced support for the Alliance's southern partners, such as Mauritania and Tunisia.

On the war in Ukraine, the President stressed to the NATO Secretary General his concern that Russia has targeted electricity and water supply installations for attack. Sánchez stressed that recent events in Poland show that everything possible must be done to prevent the conflict from escalating. Both leaders agreed on the need for continued support to Ukraine.

Last, they discussed developments in the process of Sweden's and Finland's accession to the Atlantic Alliance.

Non official translation