Zelensky is visiting Spain for the third time since the start of the Russian invasion

MadridIn the midst of his European tour, Volodymyr Zelensky is making a stop in Spain this Tuesday. The Ukrainian president is visiting Spain for the third time since the start of the Russian invasion, with an agenda that will culminate in a meeting with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez at the Moncloa Palace. During his previous stop in France, Zelensky signed an agreement on Monday with French President Emmanuel Macron, which the Ukrainian leader described as "historic." The agreement involves the purchase of military equipment from France, including one hundred Rafale F4 fighter jets over the next ten years. Looking ahead to his visit to Spain, Zelensky expressed his hope that it will be "productive" and prioritized the supply of missiles and anti-aircraft systems. In addition to the meeting with Sánchez, which will conclude with a press conference, the Ukrainian president's agenda will begin early in the morning at the Congress of Deputies. At 9:30 a.m., he will visit the Lower House accompanied by its Speaker, the Socialist Francina Armengol, and the President of the Senate, Pedro Rollán of the People's Party. At 1:30 p.m., he will be received by King Felipe VI at the Zarzuela Palace, and before meeting with Sánchez at the Moncloa Palace, both presidents will visit the Reina Sofía Museum. Specifically, they will visit the room where Picasso's Guernica is displayed, an international symbol of rejection of war. In a 2022 address to Congress via videoconference, the Ukrainian president, Zelensky, compared his country's situation to that suffered by the Basque town of Guernica in 1937. According to government sources speaking to EFE, Zelensky will also meet with representatives of the company. This will take place at Indra's headquarters at 11:00 a.m. The Ukrainian president's last official visit to Spain was in May 2024. Sánchez and Zelensky staged an agreement whereby Spain pledged to provide a record €1 billion in military aid last year. In a phone call less than a month ago, the Spanish president promised his Ukrainian counterpart "whatever [Ukraine] needs at any given time." "Spain will continue to support Ukraine until a just and lasting peace is achieved," the Socialist leader told X, following Zelensky's tensions with US President Donald Trump.

A delicate context

Before this in-person meeting in Spain, Zelensky had already visited Granada in October 2023 for the European Union summit. This new visit is marked by Russian advances on the southeastern front. Aside from the delicate military situation, Zelensky is facing a politically complicated moment due to a corruption scandal that has led to the resignation of two of his ministers. They have been linked to a network that received kickbacks on contracts awarded by the national nuclear energy company.