Ukraine, Spain discuss joint defense production, EU membership talks

By Alperen Aktas

ISTANBUL (AA) - Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal on Sunday said he met with his Spanish counterpart Pedro Sanchez in Madrid to discuss military aid, drone production, and Ukraine’s EU accession prospects.

In a post on Telegram, Shmyhal said he thanked Spain for its “comprehensive support,” noting that assistance has exceeded €2 billion ($2.3 billion), with Spanish air defense systems playing a “crucial role” in intercepting Russian missile and drone attacks.

He said Ukraine was seeking further defense cooperation, especially more air defense systems, and proposed launching joint production of drones and other military technologies.

“We are also working on solutions to intercept Russian drones that strike our infrastructure daily,” he said.

The talks also focused on Ukraine’s post-war recovery. Shmyhal stressed that confiscated frozen Russian assets remain “a key financial resource” for rebuilding the country.

He added that Ukraine is expecting a political decision on the start of EU accession talks by the end of the year.