The Ukrainian president, visiting Madrid, urged maintaining international pressure on Moscow while Spain announced 615 million euros in new military aid and advanced several bilateral agreements.
MADRID — Ukraine’s President, Volodymyr Zelensky, delivered an unequivocal message from Kyiv during his official visit to Spain: the Kremlin will only change its strategic calculus if it faces sustained diplomatic, economic, and military pressure.
Arguing that Russia is “destroying” Ukraine, Zelensky insisted that frozen Russian assets in the European Union—approximately 210 billion euros, according to the European Commission—must be used to sustain Ukrainian defense and finance its reconstruction.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez welcomed the message with a reaffirmation of support. He announced an injection of 615 million euros in military aid next month, part of the 1 billion committed for this year. An additional 202 million euros will be allocated for the country’s reconstruction. Sánchez made it clear that this commitment is not subject to internal political fluctuations or debates within the EU.
For Zelensky, the agreements in Madrid constitute “the beginning of a unique collaboration.” This refers to both the bilateral security agreement signed last year—which already foresaw a Spanish contribution of 1 billion in 2025—and a broader arc of cooperation including military industry, the fight against disinformation, and joint industrial projects.
A significant portion of the announced package will depend on the European SAFE program, a fund with which Brussels is boosting the production of ammunition and defensive systems for Ukraine. Spain will contribute 215 million euros from this program to finance anti-drone systems, exploration radars, and aerial surveillance.
Zelensky, who has intensified his tours in recent weeks to secure supplies before a winter predicted to be harsh, insisted that the immediate priority is strengthening air defense. Ukraine’s power grid and critical infrastructure have suffered constant attacks from Russian missiles and drones, a strategy Moscow employed intensely last winter. “We remember the friends who gave us light,” the Ukrainian president said.
The leader also highlighted that the Ukrainian defense industry is seeking structural alliances to accelerate its modernization. In Madrid, agreements were signed between Spanish companies Escribano and Tecnobit and the Ukrainian firm Practika for the joint production of military material.
The issue of using frozen Russian assets has opened fissures in the European bloc. Several countries believe that using them directly could generate international litigation or financial retaliation. Others—including the Baltics, Poland, and now Spain—argue that Moscow must bear the costs of the destruction caused. Sánchez was clear: “The assets must be used for the reconstruction of Ukraine.” Zelensky added that this money should also serve to reinforce air defense and purchase urgent supplies.
The debate is significant. Since March, the European Commission has promoted a mechanism to divert the profits generated by these assets to the European Peace Facility, which funds weapons purchases for Ukraine. However, the idea of employing the immobilized capital itself—not just its yields—is a more profound step with legal and geopolitical implications. Washington, which has publicly backed exploring this path since May, is pressuring the EU to advance before U.S. aid potentially becomes trapped again in internal Congressional disputes.
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