“We are defending an attacked people,” says Pedro Sánchez in kyiv

by time news

First modification:

The President of the Spanish Government, Pedro Sánchez, traveled to kyiv on February 23 to express his solidarity with Ukraine, one day before the first anniversary of the outbreak of the war with Russia. He promised to send tanks and defended “the territorial integrity and independence” of the country.

The President of the Spanish Government traveled to the Ukrainian capital on the eve of the first anniversary of the invasion of the country by Russia. This is Pedro Sánchez’s second trip to kyiv since the outbreak of the war, since he had traveled to Ukraine on April 21.

The visit comes shortly after that of US President Joe Biden on Monday and that of Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni on Tuesday. Sánchez, who visited the martyred towns of Irpín and Bucha, then met with Ukrainian President Volodimir Zelenski, and both offered a press conference.

Tanks and air support

“We’re going to send six [tanques] Leopard 2A4. Our intention is, over the next few weeks and months, to see if we can scale to a total of 10, that is, from six to 10. Obviously, due to confidentiality issues, we cannot give fair deadlines, but what I can guarantee and manifesting is the political will to do so as soon as possible”, declared Sánchez, confirming what was announced this Wednesday by Spain.

The President of the Spanish Government also spoke of the possibility of air support for the Ukrainian troops: “In relation to air aid, we have to study it. Obviously this is something that we will have to discuss with our allies, both at NATO and also at the European level. President Zelensky has asked me for that help, also the Government of Spain, and of course I believe that to achieve a just peace it must be a lasting peace. And that lasting peace can only be achieved if [Vladimir] Putin withdraws his troops from Ukraine and if he respects the essential principles of international order, which is territorial integrity and independence, in this case of Ukraine.”

“There can be no equidistance”

“We are dealing with a leader, in this case Putin, who is clearly attacking a third country and there is a country, Ukraine, that is being attacked. All the cooperation that we are doing in the military field, not only Spain, but the allies Within the framework of NATO and also of the European Union, we are doing it to defend Ukraine, not to attack Russia. And this is a very important nuance, because Ukraine was never a risk to Russia’s security. Here is what We are doing is defending a people that is being attacked by an aggressor and therefore there can be no equidistance,” Sánchez continued.

In New York, the UN General Assembly must vote this Thursday on a resolution calling for a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in Ukraine, reaffirming support for its territorial integrity and demanding the immediate withdrawal of Russian forces.

In this regard, the President of the Spanish Government commented that “we have to be aware that what Putin is doing is violating the fundamental principles of an international order based on rules. I believe that today there will be a very important vote in the General Assembly of United Nations, where a vast majority of countries, not only European, are going to support the resolution condemning Putin’s aggression against Ukraine.”

Ukraine and its allies hope the text will get at least as many votes as a resolution in which 143 countries condemned Russian annexations of eastern and southern Ukraine did in October.

During the press conference, Volodimir Zelensky was in favor of a meeting between representatives of his country and Beijing, and stated that he had already said in the past that he wanted such a meeting. “We would like to meet with China. It is in the interest of Ukraine today,” he said.

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