Ukraine and the Kingdom of Spain are strengthening cooperation in the recovery of civil aviation.

During the visit to Ukraine of a high-level Spanish delegation led by First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy, Trade and Business of Spain Carlos Cuerpo Caballero, a number of agreements were signed that will lay the foundation for the modernisation of Ukraine's air navigation infrastructure in line with European standards.

The meeting was attended by the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Kingdom of Spain to Ukraine, Ricardo López-Aranda Jagu, representatives of the Spanish Government, and leading Spanish companies.

The Ukrainian side was represented by Serhii Derkach, Deputy Minister for Development of Communities and Territories of Ukraine, and Andrii Yarmak, Director of the Ukrainian State Air Traffic Services Enterprise (UkSATSE).

«The recovery of the aviation sector is one of the priorities of the Aviation Development Strategy until 2030 approved by the Government. At the same time, we began working on this area while preparing the Strategy itself. Today's agreements with Spain are among the first practical outcomes of this work. They will allow us to begin preparing for the modernisation of Ukraine's air navigation infrastructure in accordance with European standards and will bring Ukraine closer to integration into the European aviation network», — said Serhii Derkach. 

During the meeting, UkSATSE Director Andrii Yarmak presented the current state of the enterprise, outlined the challenges facing Ukraine's air navigation system during the full-scale war, and described preparations for the safe reopening of Ukraine's airspace.  

One of the key outcomes of the visit was the signing of the FIEM Grant Agreement, under which the Government of Spain will finance the development of a comprehensive feasibility study for the recovery and modernisation of Ukraine's air traffic management system.

An agreement was also signed with ALG Indra Consulting, which will develop a strategic roadmap for the phased recovery and modernisation of Ukraine's air navigation infrastructure in line with European and international standards.

In addition, UkSATSE and Indra signed a Memorandum of Understanding establishing a framework for long-term technical cooperation in air traffic management, digital transformation, communication, navigation and surveillance technologies, as well as post-war infrastructure recovery.

During the discussions, the parties also explored opportunities to further expand cooperation under Spain's FIEM programme, including the implementation of new projects aimed at restoring and replacing damaged air navigation infrastructure.