Ukraine's Zelenskiy to visit Spain, meet king on Friday

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky waits to greet US Secretary of State prior to their meeting in Kyiv on May 14, 2024. US military aid for Ukraine is "now on its way" and will "make a real difference," Secretary of State Antony Blinken said during a visit to Kyiv on May 14, 2024. BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/Pool via REUTERS

Source: Pool

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy is set to visit Madrid on May 17 and meet with Spain's King Felipe, the Royal Palace said in a statement on Tuesday.

The monarch will hold a reception for Zelenskiy at 12:30 p.m. local time (1030 GMT) and host a meal in his honour an hour later, the statement added.

The Spanish government has not provided any details on the visit due to security reasons, but Zelenskiy is also expected to sign a bilateral security cooperation agreement with Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez following a joint declaration by NATO last year.

Like other European Union countries, Spain has committed to supporting Ukraine with financial and military aid after Russia's invasion in February 2022.

Zelenskiy's visit comes as the EU is set to pledge long-term security support for Ukraine, assuring Kyiv of more weapons, military training and other aid for years to come, according to a draft document.

This article was produced by Reuters news agency. It has not been edited by Global South World.

By Reuters