The President of Ukraine, Volodímir Zelenski, has praised the President of the Spanish Government, Pedro Sánchez, for being one of the first people to visit Ukraine at the beginning of the conflict and has ensured that both powers walk “hand in hand”.

This is how the Ukrainian leader has pronounced on the anniversary of the Russian invasion of the country, in an appearance before the media and so alone one day after the visit of the Spanish president to Kyiv.

“We were skeptical when we met about the relationship between Europe and Ukraine. He (Pedro Sánchez) has seen us from the inside and we have been working hand in hand, he was one of the first to come to Ukraine and now he understands us more”, Zelenski highlighted.

In this sense, the Ukrainian president has thanked Spain “very much” for the support with the refugees: “Spain is one of the countries that has hosted refugees the most”, stressed Zelenski, who recalled that Pedro Sánchez supports Ukraine’s candidacy to enter the EU.

“He has promised us more tanks and we have talked about other types of weapons to be able to increase anti-aircraft defense systems,” Zelenski celebrated after Pedro Sánchez announced the shipment of 10 Leopard tanks to Ukrainefour more than initially estimated, and will be open to negotiating the formulation of Ukraine’s candidacy to enter the European Union during the Spanish mandate of the Council of the EU, in the second half of 2023.