At noon today, the President of the Spanish Government, Pedro Sánchez, will receive the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, at the Moncloa Government Palace. A press conference between the two leaders is planned after the meeting. Zelenskiy will then meet King Felipe at 2.00 pm.
Zelensky had wanted to come on May 17, but had to postpone his visit due to the intensification of the Russian offensive on the country’s second city Kharkiv. The Ukrainian president will be accompanied by Defense Minister Rustem Umerov and possibly by Dmitro Kuleba from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Important meetings
Zelensky’s visit to Spain includes several important appointments. After meeting Sánchez in Moncloa, King Felipe VI will receive Zelensky at the Royal Palace of Madrid at 2.00 pm. This will be followed by a luncheon in his honour at 2.45 pm. During this lunch the Spanish king will give a speech.
Bilateral agreement
One of the most important parts of the visit is the signing of a bilateral agreement for security assistance to Ukraine. This document is similar to agreements that Zelensky has already concluded with other European countries. It aims to guarantee long-term and organised support to Ukraine. In this document, Spain will commit to maintaining sanctions against Russia and to cooperating with the International Criminal Court in the prosecution of possible war crimes by Vladimir Putin.
Strict security measures
Due to security reasons, President Zelensky’s arrival was not confirmed until the last minute. The Ukrainian president also follows this approach on other foreign trips, such as his visit to the summit of the European Political Community in Granada last October. At the time, his presence was only confirmed when he was already on Spanish soil.
Late Monday afternoon, President Zelensky will also visit the Spanish House of Representatives, as reported by congressional sources. This official visit marks President Zelensky’s first official trip to Spain. His presence in Granada last October was at the invitation of the third Summit of the European Political Community. During that visit he obtained the commitment of new Hawks missile systems and anti-drone systems.
Today’s meetings confirm Spain’s continued support for Ukraine in the face of continued Russian aggression.