Zelensky lands in Spain to discuss air defense
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President Volodymyr Zelensky is visiting Madrid on Nov. 4 to discuss ways to bolster Ukraine's sky shield and strengthen Spanish-Ukrainian defense cooperation.
"We are grateful to Spain for the assistance provided. Further support steps are being prepared," Zelensky said on X upon arrival.
"Contacts with the American side are also on the agenda these days. We are coordinating with our partners to achieve concrete results on security issues and the next steps toward peace," Zelensky said amid a renewed U.S. push to broker a peace between Kyiv and Moscow.
The president is expected to meet Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, as well as other leaders on the sidelines of the Ibero-American Summit, a two-day gathering of top officials from Spanish- and Portuguese-speaking nations in Europe and the Americas, according to the Spanish media outlet Democrata.
This marks Zelensky's fifth visit to Spain since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Spain has joined other EU and NATO nations in providing Kyiv with military and economic support, including via training Ukrainian soldiers and shipping Leopard 2 tanks and other equipment.
The visit follows reports that Western officials have been attempting to convince Spain and Greece to donate some of their Patriot PAC-2 interceptors — which are soon to reach the end of their shelf life — to Ukraine.
Earlier this year, the Spanish government pledged to provide Ukraine with five Patriot PAC-2 missiles. Kyiv said it needs about 300 Patriot missiles to fend off the expected Russian ballistic missile attacks in the coming winter.
Zelensky's trip to Madrid marks another leg of his tour around Kyiv's international allies, which also included visits to Turkey, Germany, the Netherlands, and the U.K.
