Spain has confirmed the shipment of six Leopard tanks to Ukraine and will consider ordering aircraft

The President of the Spanish Government, Pedro Sanchezconfirmed this Thursday in kyiv before the Ukrainian head of state, Volodimir Zelenskythat Spain will send 6 Leopard tanks in Kyiv and could increase aid to 10 tanks.

“We are going to send six Leopard 2 A4said Sánchez, who added that his government’s “intention” is “to increase from 6 to 10 in the weeks and months to come” the number of tanks that Spain will deliver to Ukraine.

In addition to confirming the dispatch of 6 tanks, advanced on Wednesday by the Minister of Defence, daisy dressesSánchez also recalled that Spain will train Ukrainian soldiers in driving these war vehicles.

According to the President of the Government, the first A Ukrainian military group has already arrived in Spain learn to drive these combat tanks that several NATO countries have agreed to send to Ukraine.

During his joint press conference with Zelensky at the Mariinsky Palace in Kyiv, Sánchez also raised the possibility of Madrid sending planes to Ukraine.

“You have to study it”said Sánchez, who added that the final decision will be made in coordination with NATO countries and says that Zelensky made this request expressly.

Sánchez also explained that Spain is working so that Switzerland “can unblock” the shipment of war material of Swiss manufacture which the country would veto because of its status as a producing country.

Likewise, the President of the Spanish Government underlined the humanitarian aid that your country provides. In addition to having received more than 165,000 refugeesSpain treats Ukrainian war-wounded in Zaragoza and trains doctors to deal with this type of serious case.

For his part, Zelensky thanked Sánchez for the weapon supplies.

“Join the tank coalition“Spain makes Ukraine stronger,” said Zelensky.

The Ukrainian president also praised the fact that the Spanish government gave kyiv a “solid support” who “grew up” during the war and helps to protect human lives.

“They help protect the lives of Ukrainians from Russian terror,” Zelensky said at the joint press conference.

Zelensky added that his country has “I felt this solid solidarity from the first day of the war until today”and specifically refers to Spain’s shipment of anti-aircraft systems that Ukraine uses to protect its critical infrastructure from Russian bombing.

This Thursday, the Finnish Defense Minister, Mikko Savolaalso confirmed that Finland send to three tanks”Leopard 2″ in Ukraine and will train the Ukrainian Armed Forces in its use and maintenance.

According to local media, the three “Leopard 2” armored vehicles that Finland will send to Ukraine are designed for demining there explosive devices unexploded and have no cannons, although they are equipped with machine guns.

The minister had already announced Finland’s willingness to work with the allies to send Leopard tanks to Ukraine, while warning that his country’s contribution would be “neither large nor substantial” so as not to weaken its own capacity. defense against neighboring Russia.

“We have a long eastern border to defend and we are not NATO members yet,” he told reporters to justify the kind of aid his country will eventually provide.

This is the thirteenth aid package that Finland has sent to kyiv since the start of the war and its economic value amounts to around 160 million euros, according to the Ministry of Defence.

With this latest package, the total value of all defense equipment that Finland has supplied to Ukraine exceeds 750 million euros, according to official figures.

(With information from EFE)

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