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UKRAINE

Spain PM urges Xi to hold talks with Ukraine’s Zelensky

Spain's prime minister said Friday he had urged Chinese President Xi Jinping to speak with his Ukrainian counterpart, as he visits China's capital for talks aimed at boosting ties between Beijing and Madrid.

Spain PM urges Xi to hold talks with Ukraine's Zelensky
Spain's Prime Minister speaks during a press conference in Beijing. Photo: GREG BAKER / AFP

Speaking at a press conference at the Spanish embassy in Beijing, Pedro Sánchez said he had discussed “China’s position” on Russia’s war in Ukraine in meetings with Xi and other top Chinese officials.

He also accused Russian leader Vladimir Putin of seeking to “weaken” the EU’s “multilateral project for peace and welfare”.

“I encouraged President Xi to have a conversation with (Ukrainian) President Zelensky to learn first-hand about this peace plan of the Ukrainian government,” Sánchez said.

READ ALSO: Spanish PM seeks international image with China visit

Zelensky has said repeatedly he would be open to talks with Xi – an overture the Chinese leader has yet to respond to, despite multiple rounds of talks with Putin.

Beijing last month unveiled a 12-point paper calling for a “political settlement” of the crisis in Ukraine.

The document was immediately met with scepticism from Ukraine’s allies, though it was welcomed by Kyiv.

Sánchez on Friday also welcomed Beijing’s stance opposing the use of nuclear weapons in the conflict – as well as its stated support for “territorial integrity”.

“I want to acknowledge the effort that the Chinese government has made to position itself,” he said.

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UKRAINE

‘Very high’: Spain’s govt split over €1 billion in Ukraine military aid

A split in Spain's coalition government over Madrid's pledge to provide €1 billion in military aid to Ukraine broke out on Tuesday after a far-left cabinet minister described the amount as "very high".

'Very high': Spain's govt split over €1 billion in Ukraine military aid

Socialist Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez signed a security deal with Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky on Monday in Madrid which includes a commitment to provide military support to Kyiv worth €1 billion this year.

The Spanish prime minister said this would allow “Ukraine to boost its capabilities including its essential air defence systems to protect its civilians, cities and infrastructure”.

But Labour Minister Yolanda Díaz – the leader of far-left party Sumar, the junior partners in Sanchez’s coalition government – criticised the amount.

“These are very high sums,” she told Spanish public television TVE, accusing Sánchez’s Socialist party of a “lack of transparency”.

“We learned yesterday from the press that this billion euros was intended for arms for Ukraine,” added Díaz, one of three deputy prime ministers.

“Defence policy is very important for the country, and the people have a right to a public debate.”

The aid package was approved by Spain’s parliament but without specifying who the recipient would be, according to Spanish press reports.

Sánchez’s Socialists and Sumar have clashed frequently over foreign policy since they formed their coalition government in 2020, with the far left party highly critical of arms shipments to Ukraine.

According to the Kiel Institute — which tracks weapons pledged and delivered to Ukraine since the Russian invasion — Spain has so far committed €330 million in military aid, making it a small contributor on a European level.

By comparison, Berlin, Paris and Rome have committed €18.61 billion, €5.65 billion and €1.0 billion respectively, while London’s contribution stands at 9.22 billion, the figures show.

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