Support for Ukraine the focus of much of the informal meeting of EU defence ministers

The Minister for Defence, Margarita Robles, and her European counterparts at an informal meeting in Copenhagen, Denmark

During her speech, in addition to expressing her solidarity with the Ukrainian people and recalling Spain's commitment to actions such as the EUMAM mission, Margarita Robles stressed the importance of strengthening Ukraine's military, civilian and industrial capabilities to ensure that "the day after the ceasefire is not simply an absence of violence, but the beginning of a promising future".

Since the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Spain has been sending defence and medical material, as well as training Ukrainian military personnel and offering a respite programme for the families of combatants at the military residence in Castellón.

In addition, the Minister for Defence highlighted the value of the Spanish defence industry as a driving force for boosting the European defence industry, and offered Spain to lead projects to develop European capabilities in the maritime, space and command and control fields.

"The Spanish defence industry, which has high technological qualifications and international prestige, is in a position to propose industrial solutions adapted to Ukraine's needs," she said. She also stressed the importance of taking advantage of the EU's new cooperation and funding mechanisms to address today's complex challenges by optimising European resources.

The meeting of ministers also served as an opportunity to study the adaptation of the Common Security and Defence Policy's military missions and operations to the current changing geopolitical context.

In her speech, Margarita Robles once again emphasised Ukraine and EUMAM as a key support mission, and also Africa, where the European Union must recover its commitment and responsibility. She also referred to the importance of 'Operation Atalanta' in the fight against piracy, the maintenance of which is essential, and to the UN World Food Programme. She also highlighted the unique stabilisation, development and cooperation tools available to the European Union, which give it a privileged capacity for dialogue in regions such as the Sahel, the Horn of Africa and the Gulf of Guinea.

On the sidelines of the meeting, Minister Robles held a meeting with her counterpart from the Netherlands, Ruben Brekelmans, to discuss matters of bilateral interest, as well as with the Latvian Minister of Defence, Andris Sprüds.

Throughout the working day, convened by the High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Kaja Kallas, and the Danish Minister of Defence, Troels Lund Poulsen, Margarita Robles was accompanied by Admiral Juan Francisco Martínez Núñez, Secretary General for Defence Policy.

Non official translation