The main priority of the Spanish Presidency of the EU Council until the end of 2023 will be comprehensive support for Ukraine. This was emphasised by Ambassador of Spain to Ukraine Ricardo López-Aranda Jagu at a meeting with Minister of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources Ruslan Strilets.

The Ambassador assured the Minister that Spain could help investigate environmental crimes committed by the russian federation in Ukraine. The current Prosecutor General of the Kingdom has relevant experience, having been involved in the investigation into the sinking of the tanker Prestige off the Spanish coast in 2022.

At a previous meeting in March this year, the Minister and the Ambassador discussed Ukraine’s involvement in the Sevilla Process and the implementation of the 75th EU Directive. As a result, Ukraine has already been granted official observer status in the Sevilla Process and has adopted draft law No. 6004-d in the first reading.

One of the important agreements between the Minister and the Ambassador was the cooperation in the creation of a photo project on ecocide in Ukraine by the famous Spanish photographer Daniel Beltrá. The main aim of the project is to show the civilised world the disastrous consequences of the russian war of occupation on the Ukrainian environment.

“I am grateful to the Ambassador for this meeting. I thank Spain for its willingness to participate in the implementation of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s Peace Formula and hope that it will join the International Platform for the assessment of climate and environmental damage caused by the war,” said Ruslan Strilets.