Spain evacuates its ambassador, 100 citizens from Ukraine

OVIEDO, Spain (AA) – Spain is in the process of evacuating its ambassador to Ukraine and the remaining Spanish citizens in the country, the Spanish foreign minister said on Friday.

As Russian forces advanced to Kyiv, around 100 Spanish citizens, including embassy staff, are being escorted out by authorities, Jose Manuel Albares said, adding another 100 Spanish citizens in Ukraine have refused to leave.

“We’ve offered them the possibility to leave, but they are strongly rooted in Ukraine and they preferred to stay,” he said in an interview with broadcaster Antena 3.

On Friday, Spanish Defense Minister Margarita Robles told the press that “there will be no NATO troops in Ukraine.”

Instead, she said Spain is helping NATO reinforce its presence in member states like Bulgaria and Romania, which Spain will defend in the case of Russian aggression.

Spain’s leadership has robustly condemned Russia’s attacks and has pledged to stand in solidarity with Ukraine.

Meanwhile, a top Ukrainian diplomat in Spain asked for fewer words and more direct support.

“We need bullet-proof vests, helmets, and other items that can improve the country’s defensive capacity,” said Dmytro Matiuschenko in a speech on Thursday.

Spain’s foreign minister said the government is still “exploring” the possibility of sending defensive materials.

Spain has teamed up with the EU to impose harsh sanctions on the Russian regime.

Speaking from Brussels, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said Friday that the sanctions will inflict severe economic pain on Putin’s government and are commensurate with the dramatic Russian attack.