At their meeting in Kyiv on 1 July 2023, coinciding with the first day of the Spanish Presidency of the Council of the European Union, the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, and the President of the Government of Spain, Pedro Sánchez, issued the following joint declaration.
1. The President of Ukraine and the President of the Government of Spain reiterated their unequivocal condemnation of Russia’s ongoing war of aggression against Ukraine, which undermines the rules-based international order and the United Nations Charter. Ukraine has shown remarkable determination in exercising its inherent right to self-defence against this unprovoked and unjustified attack. Russia must immediately, completely and unconditionally withdraw all its military forces from the territory of Ukraine within its internationally recognized borders.
2. Spain reiterates its unwavering commitment to Ukraine’s independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally recognised borders, and commends the determination and courage of the Ukrainian people and its armed forces in the defence against the Russian illegal aggression and in securing Ukraine's free and democratic future.
3. Ukraine highly values the wide assistance provided by Spain in the military, technical, defence, diplomatic, humanitarian, economic and financial fields, among others, as well as the solidarity of the Spanish people that currently host more than 175,000 displaced Ukrainians under temporary protection status, which includes free access to Spanish health and education systems. Spain will continue its political, humanitarian and military support to Ukraine and its people, individually and through international cooperation, including in its capacity as current Presidency of the Council of the European Union, for as long as it takes.
4. Spain supports Ukraine’s initiative for a just and sustainable peace in line with International Law and the UN Charter and based on Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, as stipulated in President Zelenkyy's Peace Formula. Spain commends key principles of the Ukrainian Peace Formula and will continue to cooperate with Ukraine to widen international support for the Ukrainian Peace Formula, including through an upcoming Global Peace Summit. Spain is already providing significant contributions under several points identified in the Formula, including food security.
5. Ukraine and Spain underline their firm commitment to bring to justice those responsible of war crimes and other serious crimes committed in connection with Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, and to support the establishment of an appropriate justice mechanism, backed by broad international support, to ensure full and effective accountability for the crime of aggression. Ukraine and Spain reiterate their support for the investigations of the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, and have taken note of the court’s arrest warrants.
6. Ukraine and Spain agree on the need to maintain collective pressure on Russia through sanctions to weaken Russia’s ability to continue its illegal war of aggression. Efforts to ensure the effective implementation of sanctions, to counter circumvention and to avoid unwanted effects must be strengthened. Proper consideration must also be given to the global negative effects of Russia's war of aggression, including in the field of food security. Spain fully supports the current initiatives that aim to prevent and mitigate these effects, including the Spanish Plan against Food Insecurity and the EU-Ukraine Solidarity Lanes, and calls for the unlimited extension of the Black Sea Grain Initiative and the Grain from Ukraine Humanitarian Program.
7. Ukraine and Spain will continue to work together with others to develop mechanisms to provide compensation for losses, injuries and damages caused by the Russian aggression. To this end, they welcome the international register of damage presented at the Reykjavik Summit of the Council of Europe on 16-17 May 2023.
8. Spain is committed to actively participate in the recovery and reconstruction of Ukraine. Ukraine and Spain agree to unite efforts in this regard. Already now, it is important to lay the ground for an ambitious and long-term engagement that will create opportunities and enable the Ukrainian people to rebuild their country and their economy, based on a transparent and inclusive national reconstruction architecture. Ukraine considers Spain and Spanish companies primary partners in reconstruction, in particular in the infrastructure, energy, transportation, capital goods, health and digital sectors. Engaging all relevant partners, including the private sector as well as national and international organizations and financial institutions with the aim of securing the financial support, investments, capacities and knowledge needed, is essential to ensure a prosperous future for Ukraine.
9. Spain reiterates its support to the candidacy of Ukraine to join the EU, which will be among the priorities of its Presidency. Spain reaffirms its commitment to work with Ukraine as it makes progress in meeting the conditions in its EU accession, taking into account the merit-based approach, and looks forward to the Progress Report by the European Commission, which will become a basis for the decision on the next steps.
10. Spain supports strengthening NATO's partnership with Ukraine, including through the creation of a NATO-Ukraine Council as a venue to further increase and expand the ongoing cooperation to help fulfil Ukraine’s path towards the Euro-Atlantic family consistent with the Bucharest Declaration. Spain reiterates its support to NATO’s Open Door Policy in accordance with the 2022 NATO Strategic Concept as well as the Madrid NATO Summit Declaration. Ukraine and Spain look forward to addressing these issues at the NATO Summit in Vilnius in July 2023.