UPDATE - Madrid promises Ukraine €55M in aid: Spanish premier

UPDATES WITH REMARKS BY ZELENSKYY

By Beyza Binnur Donmez

GENEVA (AA) - Spain vowed on Saturday to allocate €55 million ($60 million) in additional support to Ukrainian schools and small- and medium-sized enterprises.

Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez announced the decision during a visit to Kyiv, hours after Spain took over the EU's rotating presidency.

"Today, Spain decided to allocate an additional €55 million, including €51 million through the World Bank Group, to finance small and medium-sized enterprises of Ukraine, as well as €4 million through the United Nations Development Programme to provide schools in Ukraine with environmentally friendly and sustainable energy systems," Sanchez said.

Madrid will also send four more Leopard combat tanks and armored personnel carriers to Ukraine, he added.

"We will send new heavy military material very soon, there will be four more Leopard tanks and armored transport vehicles," he said.

Spain sent six Leopard tanks to Ukraine last April.

Sanchez also wished Kyiv success in its counter-offensive to retake areas captured by Russia since the beginning of the war on Feb. 24.

Voicing hope that this would lead to "a just and lasting peace," he pledged that "Europe and Spain will remain by your side for as long as necessary."

"We will maintain our support for the Ukrainian people until peace returns to Europe," he added.

- Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant

For his part, Zelenskyy claimed that Russia was technically capable of triggering local explosions that could cause radiation to leak from the Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant in southeastern Ukraine.

Noting that he discussed with partners issues related to Ukraine retaking the plant, he underlined the importance of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) intervening before this occurs.

Zelenskyy also noted that he and Sanchez discussed sanctions against Russia. "The EU should start working on the 12th package of sanctions against Russia now," he said.

The Ukrainian leader said they "do not understand why" the sanctions against Russia's nuclear energy company, Rosatom, are still not being implemented.

"The directors and representatives of this company continue to occupy the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant," he said.

Upon his arrival in Ukraine earlier in the day, Sanchez had tweeted: "Already in Kyiv. I wanted the first act of the Spanish Presidency of the Council of the EU to be in Ukraine together with Zelenskyy."

Spain assumed the presidency on Saturday for a six-month term.