Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez arrived in Kyiv early on Thursday morning in a show of support ahead of the one-year anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
‘Returning to Kyiv today, one year since the start of the war,’ Sánchez tweeted (see below) with a video of him stepping off the train in the Ukrainian capital.
‘We will stand with Ukraine and its people until peace returns to Europe,’ he wrote in Spanish and Ukrainian.
Sánchez will meet with Ukraine’s leader Volodymyr Zelensky later in the day on what is his second visit to Kyiv since the war began on 24 February 2022, his Moncloa office said.
The visit comes shortly after US President Joe Biden made a surprise trip to Kyiv, his first since the invasion began, and a day later, Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni also arrived.
On Wednesday, Defence Minister Margarita Robles confirmed that Spain would send six of its German-made Leopard tanks to support Ukraine’s fight against Russia.
On 24 February 2022, Russian tanks rolled into Ukraine as part of a so-called ‘special military operation’ for what they thought would be a rapid victory.
But Ukraine has fought back with the war dragging on into a stalemate that has caused an estimated 150,000 casualties on both sides, according to various Western sources.
Vuelvo a Kyiv un año después del inicio de la guerra.
— Pedro Sánchez (@sanchezcastejon) February 23, 2023
Estaremos al lado de Ucrania y de su gente hasta que la paz regrese a Europa.
Сьогодні повертаюся до Києва.
Ми будемо з Україною та її народом, поки до Європи не повернеться мир. pic.twitter.com/9ekUL9Lmfl
Sign up for the FREE Weekly Newsletter from Spain in English.
Please support Spain in English with a donation.
Click here to get your business activity or services listed on our DIRECTORY.
Click here for further details on how to ADVERTISE with us.