Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal held talks with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez in Madrid on Sunday, focusing on enhanced military cooperation, joint defence production, and Ukraine’s bid to begin European Union accession talks.
In a statement shared on Telegram, Shmyhal expressed gratitude for Spain’s ongoing support, noting that total assistance from Madrid has now surpassed €2 billion ($2.3 billion). He highlighted the strategic importance of Spanish-supplied air defence systems in intercepting Russian missile and drone attacks on Ukrainian infrastructure.
“Our Spanish partners have played a crucial role in strengthening our air defences,” Shmyhal said. “But the need remains urgent — we are requesting additional systems and proposing joint production of drones and other defence technologies.”
The Ukrainian premier emphasized the need for innovative solutions to counter daily Russian drone strikes targeting key civilian and energy infrastructure. Discussions included launching collaborative projects for producing drones and military equipment, as Ukraine continues to push for greater defence-industrial cooperation with NATO and EU member states.
The leaders also addressed Ukraine’s long-term recovery from the ongoing conflict. Shmyhal reiterated that confiscated and frozen Russian assets should serve as a “key financial resource” for rebuilding efforts, a position Kyiv continues to advocate for in international forums.
On the diplomatic front, Shmyhal voiced optimism about Ukraine’s path toward EU membership, stating that Kyiv expects a political decision on opening accession talks by the end of 2025. Spain has consistently supported Ukraine’s European aspirations, including during its presidency of the EU Council in 2023.
The meeting comes amid renewed international focus on security guarantees for Ukraine and efforts to bolster its defence capabilities, particularly as Russian drone and missile attacks intensify during the summer campaign.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for the 4rd of February, covering the latest developments you need to ...
A second group of Palestinians receiving medical treatment arrived in Egypt from Gaza via the Rafah border crossing on Tuesday (3 February)....
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar on Tuesday (February 3) one day after the U.S. and India...
The most prominent son of late Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, Saif al-Islam Gaddafi, has been killed, sources close to the family, his lawyer Khaled e...
Washington has accepted Tehran’s request to relocate planned nuclear talks, with negotiations now expected to take place in Oman on Friday (6 Februr...
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for the 4rd of February, covering the latest developments you need to know.
A second group of Palestinians receiving medical treatment arrived in Egypt from Gaza via the Rafah border crossing on Tuesday (3 February).
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar on Tuesday (February 3) one day after the U.S. and India signed a trade deal.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer spoke to U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday and discussed the situation in Ukraine, including the overnight Russian attacks on the country, the UK government said.
Talks with the U.S. should be pursued to secure national interests as long as "threats and unreasonable expectations" are avoided, President Masoud Pezeshkian posted on X on Tuesday (3 February).
Cuba’s Deputy Foreign Minister Carlos Fernández de Cossío has denied that Havana and Washington have entered formal negotiations, countering recent assertions by U.S. President Donald Trump, while saying the island is open to dialogue under certain conditions.
Mexico said it will stop sending oil to Cuba as U.S. President Donald Trump ramped up pressure on the Caribbean nation.
Iranian media outlets have backtracked on claims President Masoud Pezeshkian ordered a return to nuclear talks with the United States, fuelling fresh uncertainty over the state of diplomacy between the two rivals.
Web Summit Qatar 2026 opened in Doha on Sunday, drawing tens of thousands of founders, investors, policymakers and technology leaders to what organisers describe as one of the region’s largest digital economy gatherings.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for the 4rd of February, covering the latest developments you need to know.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar on Tuesday (February 3) one day after the U.S. and India signed a trade deal.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer spoke to U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday and discussed the situation in Ukraine, including the overnight Russian attacks on the country, the UK government said.
U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday (3 February) signed a spending deal into law that ends a partial U.S. government shutdown and gives lawmakers time to negotiate potential limits on his immigration crackdown.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy accused Russia on Tuesday (3 February) of exploiting a U.S.-backed energy ceasefire to stockpile weapons and launch large-scale drone and missile attacks on Ukraine ahead of peace talks.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment