Spain Promises IDR 903 Billion Aid For Ukraine Recovery

A number of soldiers involved in the Ukraine-Russia conflict (ANTARA/XinXua)

JENEWA - Spain pledged to allocate 55 million euros (around Rp903 billion) as additional support for schools and small and medium enterprises in recovery efforts in Ukraine.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez announced the decision on a visit to Kiev, hours after Spain took over from the European Union's rotating president.

"Today, Spain decided to allocate an additional 55 million euros, including 51 million euros through the World Bank Group, to finance Ukraine's small and medium enterprises, as well as four million euros through the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) to provide schools in Ukraine with an environmentally friendly and sustainable energy system," Sanchez said. quoted by ANTARA, Sunday 2 July.

Madrid will also send back four Leopard war tanks and armored personnel carriers to Ukraine, he continued.

"We will immediately send new heavy military materials, there will be four Leopard tanks and another armored transport vehicle," he said.

Spain delivered six Leopard tanks to Ukraine in April.

Sanchez also expressed his hope that Kiev would succeed in its return to reclaim the territory that was captured by Russia since the start of the war on February 24, 2022.

He hopes this will lead to "fair and lasting peace", and promises that "Europe and Spain will remain by your side as long as necessary."

"We will maintain our support for the Ukrainian people until peace returns to Europe," he added.

PLTN Zaporizhya

Zelenskyy claims that Russia was technically capable of triggering a local explosion that could cause radiation leakage from the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant (PLTN) in southeastern Ukraine.

He has discussed with partners about issues related to Ukraine seizing power plants, and underlined the importance of intervention from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) before this happened.

Zelenskyy also stated that he and Sanchez discussed sanctions against Russia. "European Union must start working on the 12th sanction package against Russia now," he said.

The Ukrainian leader said they "do not understand why" sanctions against Russia's nuclear energy company, Rosatom, have not yet been implemented.

"The director and representatives of this company continue to occupy the Zaporizhya nuclear power plant," he said.

Arriving in Ukraine the previous day, Sanchez tweeted: "Already in Kiev. I want the first action of the Spanish Presidential Council of the European Union to be in Ukraine with Zelenskyy."

Spain became president of the European Union starting Saturday for a six-month term.