MADRID, March 2. /TASS/. Madrid has decided to deliver offensive weapons to Ukraine, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said on Wednesday in a speech to the Congress of Deputies (the lower house of parliament).
"Spain will supply the Ukrainian resistance with offensive military weapons," the prime minister said, "We must give a European response to a European threat."
FEB 28 - "Ukraine belongs in the EU," says European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
EU Establishes Intelligence Center In SPAIN For Ukraine To Monitor Russian Troop Movements
The EU have established an intelligence center in Spain which might prove to be the first major step toward a more organized European military intervention in Ukraine. The main purpose of the said satellite center is to monitor the Russian troops and their movements.
Spain’s PM accuses Russia of war crimes over children’s hospital strike
Compare this accusation with Nayirah's fake testimony – In her testimony, Nayirah claimed that after the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait, she had witnessed Iraqi soldiers take babies out of incubators in a Kuwaiti hospital and leave the babies to die. The Bush administration used the propaganda as "opportunistic manipulation of the international human rights movement".
The supreme example of international volunteering in modern times is the International Brigades in the Spanish Civil War. An estimated 35,000 men from 53 countries served in the Brigades.
To repeat the phenomenon, three conditions would have to be met.
First, make the cause both domestic and universal. The left believed that preventing General Franco from taking over Spain was critical to stopping fascism everywhere and halting the slide towards another world war. For each Brigadista, Spain was not just about Spain, but about the future of his own country too. The Communist International, or Comintern, the controlling body of all Communist Parties, was careful to project the war not as one for communism but as one for democracy, against fascism.
Secondly, build a trans-national network.
Thirdly, be prepared to see it through and take heavy casualties.
About 30% of the Irish Brigadistas were killed (the fatality rate for the British army in World War I was 13%), and most of the survivors were wounded.
**Gonzalo Lira: A False Flag Is Coming in Ukraine
Quote from Gonzalo Lira: "It's over in Ukraine. The Russians have won, and in Washington they are aware of this, and so because they are aware of this, they are panicky".
The head of the Ministry of Transport, Mobility and Urban Agenda also outlined the measures that our country has taken in the maritime sphere to help those directly affected by the war. Among them, he mentioned the extension of temporary work contracts and temporary residence and work authorisations, to protect Ukrainian crew members on Spanish ships, and bonuses for ship's tax and cargo tax on lines between the mainland and our non-mainland ports, to reinforce the resilience of the sector.
Spain has also designated a specific unit to optimise coordination between the arrival of refugees at transport terminals and their introduction into the national reception system, through the designation of several main humanitarian hubs.
The Spanish army will join the process of training Ukrainian forces in Zaragoza, after criticism of the Sanchez government, the shipment of weapons to Ukraine has also been resumed
This is reported by El Mundo.
"For weeks, Spain has been preparing for the arrival of Ukrainian military contingents who will undergo training at the base of our country," the message reads.
It is reported that the training will take place in Zaragoza.
As the United Kingdom is already doing on its territory, the Ministry of Defense of Spain, as noted, is fulfilling one of the commitments made to the government of Volodymyr Zelenskyy and will invite the Ukrainian military for training before military deployment.
Minister of Defence of Ukraine Oleksii Reznikov thanked Spain for the decision to hand over four Hawk air defence systems to Ukraine.
“I’m grateful to my Spanish colleague Margarita Robles for the decision to send 4 Hawk air defence systems to Ukraine. It's quick response for Ukraine’s request at Ramstein 6. There are more Hawks on the way,” Reznikov posted on Twitter.
Currently, the air defence is a priority not only for Ukraine but for all of Europe, he stressed.
As reported, Emmanuel Macron said that France would send radar and air defence systems for Ukraine in the coming weeks.
Ukraine To Receive HAWK, Aspide Surface-To-Air Missiles From Spain
In a press briefing held Thursday, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg announced that Spain would be sending four medium-range Homing All the Way Killer(HAWK) air defense systems to Ukraine. The country is also providing Kyiv with ground-based Aspide anti-aircraft missile systems, on which 19 Ukrainian servicemen have been training since early October.
After UK & France, Now Spain To Send HAWK & ASPIDE Systems To Ukraine To Counter Putin’s Missiles
Spain has announced that it will be delivering HAWK air defence systems to Ukraine. The move comes as NATO nations collectively rush to provide Kyiv with advanced air defence capabilities. Ukraine has urged its western allies to provide advanced air defence systems to help them combat Russian air strikes. Watch the video to know more about HAWKs.
Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov announced this on Twitter.
The head of the defense department of Ukraine said that he had a conversation with his Spanish counterpart Margarita Robles.
"Grateful for your support and for being the first to provide Hawk systems to make our skies safer. We look forward to a new military aid package, which will arrive soon. The result of our cooperation will be our joint victory," Reznikov wrote.
Recall that in mid-October, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said that Spain was going to provide Ukraine with four of its Hawk air defense systems.
In addition, Britain is going to transfer to Ukraine AMRAAM missiles that can be launched from NASAMS air defense systems.
Also, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that Ukraine has only 10% of the needs of air defense.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said confirmed “Spain’s commitment and support to the people and government of Ukraine” as the country’s Minister of Foreign Affairs arrived in Kyiv.
Jose Manuel Albares arrived in Kyiv on November 2 “to convey Spain’s commitment and support to the people and government of Ukraine in the defence of their sovereignty, peace and freedom; and to support and thank the members of the Spanish Embassy in Ukraine @EmbEspKyiv for their work.”
Pedro Sanchez said about his Foreign Affairs minister arriving in Ukraine: “Our commitment to Ukraine is firm. Spain is sending new aid material to Kyiv today.
Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares traveled to Kyiv on Wednesday and pledged that Spain will help rebuild Ukraine.
President Volodymyr Zelensky has stated that Spain's decision to transfer air defense systems is very important for Ukraine. “Now the number one issue is the creation of an air shield to protect our critical and civilian infrastructure. Therefore, Spain's decision to transfer air defense systems to Ukraine is really important for us,” the President said. The Foreign Minister stressed that this is exactly what Ukraine asked Spain for. Spain's decision to transfer air defense systems to Ukraine very important to us – Zelensky
“I was moved by the destruction that we’ve seen today in Kyiv and in the town of Makariv,” tweeted Albares, who toured several areas of the Ukrainian capital destroyed by Russian forces.
“Spain will contribute to rebuilding Ukraine’s infrastructure, culture and heritage.”
The Perpetual War Cycle
As outlined in Nazi Banksters' Crimes Ripple Effect -
The Queen of Spain, Letizia Otiz Rocasolano put traditional sausages and a postcard wishing Ukraine victory over Russia in a shipment of grenades launchers from her country. The gift was sent to Ukraine to give a boost to the fighting power of its army against Russia. Ukrainians reportedly didn’t realise it at first that the message came from Spanish Queen. Watch this report for more.
Spain (and Germany) are planning to train thousands of Ukrainian troops under an EU programme to help bolster Kyiv's fight against Russia, officials said Tuesday.
Their assistance adds to announcements already given by other EU countries that they will train Ukrainian soldiers on their territories.
The European Union is launching its largest ever military training mission aimed at preparing an initial 15,000 Ukrainian troops for the battlefield.
The main hub for the mission will be in Ukraine's EU neighbour Poland, with a secondary headquarters set up in Germany.
Germany's Defence Minister Christine Lambrecht said at a meeting of EU counterparts in Brussels that Berlin was planning to train 5,000 Ukrainians "in a wide range of skills" by next June.
Spanish Defence Minister Margarita Robles said her country would train 400 troops every two months, with a total capacity of 2,400 a year.
She said facilities had already been put in place at a training facility in the central city of Toledo to house the troops.
France last month announced that it would train up to 2,000 Ukrainian soldiers.
Britain, Canada and the United States -- all fellow NATO countries -- have already been training Ukrainian military personnel, in Britain and at a US base in Germany.
Spain to send troops, F-18 fighter jets to Romania in December, PM says
MADRID, Nov 23 (Reuters) - Spain will send at least 130 troops and eight F-18 fighter jets to Romania next month to strengthen NATO's eastern flank, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez and his Romanian counterpart Nicolae Ciuca told reporters on Wednesday. - Spain to send troops, F-18 fighter jets to Romania in December, PM says | Reuters
PRIME MINISTER Pedro Sanchez says a new training centre for the Ukraine army will open in Toledo before the end of the month.
Sanchez spoke on Monday on the closing day of a meeting of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly in Madrid.
He appealed to Russian president Vladimir Putin to ‘leave Ukraine alone and to respect its national sovereignty’.
He also praised the NATO alliance for keeping a cool head after the accidental fall of a missile on a Polish village last week, which initially was incorrectly blamed on Russia.
Sanchez also said that Spanish police crime scene experts will go to Ukraine to investigate alleged war crimes.
That’s included supplying Ukraine with anti-aircraft defence systems and power generators in addition to a €700 million donation to the European Peace Fund.
ORcers will work with Ukrainian counterparts and prosecutors to collect evidence of atrocities committed by Russia since their invasion in February.
Pedro Sanchez said: “We are all going to continue to be united with Ukraine as NATO is not against the Russian people but is against Putin’s autocracy.”
Spanish Defence Minister, Margarita Robles, says Switzerland is refusing to allow her country to re-export war materiel to Ukraine.
Switzerland ‘blocks weapons exports’ from SPAIN to Ukraine
Switzerland has stuck firmly to the line that its neutrality would be damaged by allowing other countries to send Swiss-produced weapons and ammunition to Ukraine.
The Swiss government has resisted pressure from Germany to sanction the re-export of ammunition to supply anti-aircraft vehicles already in Ukraine.
It now appears likely that Spain is bringing similar pressure to bear on Switzerland.
“We understand, respect and accept neutrality, but we need authorisation from Switzerland for this type of material, which is not being given at the moment,” Roble is reported to have told a meeting of Spanish ambassadors this week.
According to the Europapress newspaper, Robles has asked the Spanish ambassador to Switzerland to take up the case with Bern.
The amount of war materiel involved is not made clear and it is also unknown precisely what type of military equipment Spain wants to send to Ukraine.
The Spanish government will send Leopard tanks to Ukraine in the spring, the exact number of combat vehicles is not yet specified, Defense Minister Margarita Robles announced on Friday.
She specified that Spain will contribute with the Leopard 2 A4. It's not only about sending the vehicles, but also about training the crews and maintenance, RTVE broadcasting company quoted the head of the department as saying.
The Allied plan is that the shipment of tanks will be by spring, Robles noted. Until then, the physical presence of the Leopard in Ukraine will not be needed, and Spain is going to use that time to train the Ukrainian military.
