Ben Pawlowski
UKRAINIAN president Volodymyr Zelensky has cancelled a planned visit to Spain amid Russian advances in northern Ukraine, according to reports.
Zelensky had been due to visit Spain in the coming days to sign a bilateral security cooperation agreement with Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez that would reaffirm Spain’s commitment to supporting the war-torn nation in its fight against Russian forces.
Ukraine’s president had also been due to hold a reception with King Felipe VI on May 17, who was set to hold a meal in Zelensky’s honour at Zarzuela Palace.
According to CNN Portugal, where Zelensky was also set to visit, the trip has been called off thanks to the ‘serious internal situation in Ukraine at the moment’.
Some 30,000 Russian troops launched a new offensive into northeastern Kharkiv province last Friday with Ukrainian sources anxious that the region could fall to Vladimir Putin’s forces and sway the momentum of the war into Russia’s favour.
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The Spanish government said they were unable to comment on the situation for security reasons.
Alongside other European Union nations, Spain committed to supporting Ukraine with financial and military aid in the wake of Russia’s invasion over two years ago.
The bilateral security agreement that Sanchez and Zelensky were set to agree to is similar to documents already signed by the leaders of France, Germany, Italy and the UK.
The trip, which had been expected to start this Friday, had remained a secret with Spanish and Ukrainian sources tight-lipped over security worries.
Jose Manuel Albares, Spain’s foreign minister, said: “For security reasons I am not going to make any comment, not to deny, confirm or add any information, about any of President Zelensky’s movements anywhere in the world”.
Zelensky and Sanchez most recently called on May 7, with the pair thrashing out details of the impending bilateral security agreement which further guarantees Spain’s support.
