Shorouk Express
Sánchez’s announcement on Thursday came as Zelensky was receiving Donald Trump’s special envoy for Ukraine amid tensions after the US president branded the Ukrainian leader a “dictator” who refuses to hold elections.
Envoy Keith Kellogg’s visit comes four days ahead of the third anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
After last Monday’s emergency meeting of European leaders to discuss Ukraine, Sánchez reaffirmed Madrid’s commitment to Kyiv’s sovereignty.
Advertisement
However, Madrid is opposed to sending troops to Ukraine as part of a peacekeeping force as long as the conflict rages.
“To talk of independence, and, of course, peace in Ukraine, is also to talk about security in Europe,” the Spanish leader said on that occasion.
“Peace in Ukraine and European security are two sides of the same coin,” he added.
“Europe must define, once and for all, its security and defence as a public good.
“Therefore we must articulate common mechanisms of the European Union to be able to finance and increase our security and defence capacity,” Sanchez concluded.
Trump has criticised Zelensky, warned him the Ukrainian leader on his Truth Social platform that the Russians “have the cards” in any negotiation to end the war so he “better move fast or he is not going to have a Country left.”
