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UKRAINE

Spanish village changes its name to Ukraine

In a show of solidarity to war-torn Ukraine, one Spanish village has renamed itself and its road signs.

Published: 17 April 2022 11:11 CEST
spanish word of the day guerra
One small southern Spanish village has changed its name to Ukraine in a show of solidarity. Photo: STEFANIE LOOS / AFP

The small village of Fuentes de Andalucía in southern Spain has taken an original stand against Russia’s invasion by temporarily changing its name to ‘Ukraine’.

Located in the Seville region and home to just over 7,000 inhabitants, the village now known as ‘Ukraine’ has also renamed some of its streets after Ukrainian cities such as Kyiv, Mariupol, Kharkiv, Kherson and Odesa.

People arriving to the village are greeted with a ‘Ukraine’ sign alongside a yellow and blue flag, according to Spanish newspaper El Diario.

The mayor of the town, Francisco Martinez, said: “If the children of the village see how we help Ukraine, they will grow up in solidarity. What we are doing is sending a message to the children of the town, so that they see what is being organised, and that we all help together.”

Syria, Ethiopia, Yemen, Palestine and Afghanistan are also honoured in the town’s street names and points of interest.

READ ALSO: Spanish PM sees possible ‘genocide’ in Ukraine

“It is all the result of the work that has been done for many years in this town, to show our support for people who are having a hard time in different parts of the world,” he added.

The village also plans to offer homes to up to 25 Ukraine refugees at a new centre or with families.

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UKRAINE

Spain against deploying EU troops to Ukraine

Spain on Tuesday said it was against any deployment of European troops in Ukraine after France's Emmanuel Macron refused to rule out sending Western soldiers.

Published: 27 February 2024 15:47 CET
Spain against deploying EU troops to Ukraine

“As to whether we are in favour of deploying European troops to Ukraine, we’ve already made our position clear and we do not agree,” said government spokeswoman Pilar Alegría.

“We must concentrate on the most urgent thing, which is to speed up the delivery of (military) equipment” to Kyiv, she said, saying “unity” was Europe’s “most effective weapon” against Russia’s Vladimir Putin.

Macron triggered a shockwave late on Monday by refusing to rule out the dispatch of Western ground troops to Ukraine in its fight against the Russian invasion.

“There is no consensus today to send ground troops… but nothing should be excluded. We will do whatever it takes to ensure that Russia cannot win this war,” he said.

He refused to say more about France’s position, citing the need for “strategic ambiguity” but saying the issue was mentioned among the options”.

Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico was quoted as saying some EU and NATO members were weighing the option.

“Many people who say ‘never, ever’ today were the same people who said ‘never tanks, never planes, never long-range missiles’ two years ago” when Russia invaded, said Macron. “Let us have the humility to note that we have often been six to twelve months late.”

Earlier, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz also rejected the idea of European or NATO countries sending troops to Ukraine.

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