The President of Ukraine, Volodimir Zelenski, is in Madrid this Thursday for an intense political agenda that includes meetings with King Felipe VI, the President of the Government, Pedro Sánchez, and several Ibero-American officials attending the Ibero-American Summit, according to sources from the Executive.
Sánchez is scheduled to receive Zelenski at the very end of the afternoon at the Palacio de la Moncloa, which will be the fifth time that the Ukrainian leader visits Spain since the start of the Russian invasion in February 2022. "The purpose of that meeting is to reaffirm Spain's support for Ukraine, as it has been doing since the start of the war," the same sources have emphasized.
Before his stop at Moncloa, the head of the Ukrainian State will hold an audience with King Felipe VI at the Palacio de la Zarzuela, a point that has been confirmed by the Royal Household.
Likewise, the government sources have detailed that, once the Ibero-American Summit has concluded, in the early hours of the afternoon, the Ukrainian president will take the opportunity to meet with several of the Heads of State and Government attending "to exchange views on the situation in his country, its global repercussions, and on the main challenges for international peace and security".
The Ukrainian president himself has announced his trip to Madrid to hold "important meetings and conversations" focused on strengthening Ukraine's air defenses, ensuring the protection of the civilian population, and expanding cooperation and production in the field of defense. Diplomatic sources cited by Europa Press have confirmed that the leader has already arrived on Spanish territory.
"We thank Spain for the help provided. New support measures are being prepared," the Ukrainian president said.
Similarly, Zelenski has also said that during these days talks are planned with the U.S. team, in a context marked by the imminent resumption of contacts between Russia and Ukraine in the United Arab Emirates in order to give fresh impetus to the negotiation process that seeks to end the war. "We are coordinating with our partners to achieve concrete results in security matters and to move forward on the next steps toward peace," he said in relation to the scheduled meeting in Abu Dhabi.
"We need protection against Russian attacks and the restoration of peace. I thank everyone who is helping Ukraine," the president added.
So far, it has not been specified which Ibero-American presidents will meet with Zelenski. In the Spanish capital, the summit is attended by the heads of state of Argentina, Chile, Bolivia, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, and the Dominican Republic, as well as the president and the prime minister of Portugal. Apart from the official sessions, the Ukrainian leader could also hold meetings with the UN Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, and with the President of the European Council, Antonio Costa, who also attend the international meeting.