Zelensky in Spain for talks with world leaders

MADRID, Spain, November 5 ------ Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky made a surprise visit to Madrid to drum up fresh military support against Russia during a summit of Latin American leaders in Spain.

Madrid is hosting a two-day summit of the Ibero-American Community, a 22-nation group of Spanish and Portuguese-speaking countries that are mainly in Latin America, where support for Ukraine since Russia's 2022 invasion has divided opinion.

After the summit finishes on Thursday, Zelensky will meet Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez and "several leaders to exchange views on the situation of his country, its global repercussions and the main challenges for international peace and security", Spanish government sources said.

Zelensky confirmed his arrival on social media, saying "our top priority is strengthening Ukraine's air defenses, protecting our people, and expanding defense cooperation and production." "Further support steps are being prepared," the president added, without providing detail on the measures or the leaders he would meet.

The far-right presidents of Argentina and Chile, Javier Milei and Jose Antonio Kast, as well as Bolivian conservative Rodrigo Paz are among the Latin American heads of state in the Spanish capital. King Felipe VI will host Zelensky at his Zarzuela residence outside Madrid, the royal palace confirmed.

Zelensky's fresh bid for support comes after he, Russia and the United States confirmed their negotiators will meet in Abu Dhabi on November 10-11 for the first talks between all three sides since February. In Brussels, delegations from Ukraine, Germany, France, Britain, the United States, NATO and the World Bank met on Wednesday to discuss Ukraine's post-war reconstruction ahead of those talks. That work "includes identifying instruments and tools that can support Ukraine's future development and own efforts", said a European Commission statement after the meeting, to be followed Thursday by a NATO-hosted encounter on post-war security guarantees.

Source: manilatimes.net