The President of the Government has participated in Paris in the meeting of the Coalition of Volunteers for Ukraine, where he has called for intensifying pressure on Russia and advancing the twenty-first sanctions package.
The President of the Government, Pedro Sánchez, spoke this Monday in Paris at the meeting of the Coalition of Volunteers for Ukraine, a forum in which he demanded "unity and determination" to sustain support for Kiev at a moment he considers "decisive" due to the change in the dynamics of the conflict. The meeting, which brings together Ukraine's main allies, was held in the French capital with the attendance of European leaders and NATO representatives.
During his speech, Sánchez emphasized the need to equal determination on all fronts to open a credible path towards a ceasefire and exert pressure on Russia. The Spanish Prime Minister pointed out three strategic areas: ensuring military support for Ukraine, intensifying pressure on Russia by swiftly advancing the twenty-first sanctions package, and preparing negotiations to offer security guarantees when the necessary conditions arise.
European presence in negotiations
Pedro Sánchez stressed that Europe's presence in any negotiation process is a necessary condition that requires a common position, coordination, and commitment to ensure the security of Europe and Ukraine. "We cannot afford internal divisions while Russian aggression continues," the president stated, according to sources from Moncloa. This statement comes in a context where some European partners have shown fatigue in military support for Ukraine.
The Spanish president recalled that Spain has allocated over 1 billion euros in military aid to Ukraine since the beginning of the invasion and has committed to maintaining that support. Additionally, he urged allies to accelerate the delivery of air defense systems and ammunition, two of the most urgent needs expressed by Kiev.
Anti-Ballistic Missile Coalition
Prior to the plenary meeting, Sánchez participated in the meeting of the Anti-Ballistic Missile Coalition, an initiative to integrate the technology of different countries to improve air defense capabilities. The members of this coalition — Ukraine, Germany, France, the United Kingdom, Italy, Denmark, Sweden, the Netherlands, Norway, and Spain — have signed a Joint Declaration affirming the defensive nature of the initiative.
The document supports the "Flagship Project", a program aimed at advancing the development of defense capabilities with an integrated architecture logic against ballistic missiles. This project seeks to coordinate the radar systems, interceptors, and command centers of the participating countries to create a more effective defense network against potential missile attacks.
For readers interested in European geopolitics, this summit represents another step in consolidating a common security architecture, although the timelines for implementing the integrated system have yet to be specified. Technical work is expected to progress over the coming months, with an initial milestone review planned for the end of 2026.
President Sánchez is scheduled to participate this Tuesday, July 14, in the celebrations for the National Day of France, where he will meet with President Emmanuel Macron and other international leaders. The president's agenda also includes bilateral meetings with some attendees to strengthen coordination on defense and sanctions.
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