"With account for the real potential of the Spanish Armed Forces, insignificant amounts of aid [according to the Spanish, 600 million euros [$622mln] in 2022-24] are dissolved in general Western supplies, often not even reaching the front. The list of arms transferred to the Ukrainian Armed Forces rather suggests the desire of the Spanish to dispose of old weaponry and strengthen their positions in NATO," Klimenko said.
He said Moscow is particularly concerned about the implementation of the Spanish-Ukrainian agreement on security cooperation, signed in May 2024 by Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez and Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelensky.
Reports in late May indicated that Zelensky and Sanchez signed a bilateral security pact in Madrid. This agreement specifically encompasses military and civilian assistance to Ukraine, the restoration of its territory, and demining efforts. As part of the pact, Spain is set to provide a record-breaking military aid package to Ukraine, amounting to approximately 1 billion euros (about $1.04 billion) in 2024.
Russia has been conducting its special military operation since February 24, 2022. Russian President Vladimir Putin has said the operation aims to "protect people subjected to genocide by the Kiev regime." According to the president, the ultimate goal of the operation is to completely liberate Donbas and create conditions that guarantee Russia's security: Ukraine must undergo demilitarization and denazification.
Russia believes that arms supplies to Ukraine hinder the settlement and directly involve NATO countries in the conflict. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has said any cargo containing weapons for Ukraine will be a legitimate target for Russia. According to him, the United States and NATO are directly involved in the conflict, including not only by supplying weapons, but also by training personnel in the UK, Germany, Italy and other countries. The Kremlin has said the West pumping weapons into Ukraine does not contribute to peace talks.