The Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskyhas reached Grenade this Thursday to participate in the leaders’ summit of the European Political Community and the EU which is held within the framework of the Spanish presidency of the European Union.
The leader of the Ukrainian Executive has met with the President of the Spanish Government, Pedro Sánchez, and has insisted on the need for his country to receive a “new military aid package that includes additional air defense, artillery and anti-drone systems capabilities.” They have also discussed the process to for Ukraine to join the EU during the Spanish presidency of the Council of the EU.
Both leaders have also addressed the sending of energy equipment to Ukraine in the face of winter, when kyiv fears suffering a new Russian bombing campaign. The protection of the corridor to export grain opened by Ukraine in the Black Sea has been another of the topics of conversation at the meeting
Sanchez He already announced upon his arrival at the Granada summit that on Thursday morning he would hold a bilateral meeting with Zelensky and would convey Spain’s support to him so that Ukraine enters the EU. Sánchez has indicated that Spain is in favor of enlarging the European Union from 27 to 35 members: “We are a country always open to enlargements.”
Sánchez: “Our vocation for unity in the face of Russian aggression is even stronger”
This is one of the issues that will be debated in the Andalusian city. “That is going to require a lot of challenges from the internal point of view to be able to continue being effective and to be able to accommodate and welcome those countries that have been knocking on the door of this common EU project for a long time,” said the leader of the acting Executive.
Sánchez also addressed the European leaders gathered in the Andalusian city and highlighted his support for Ukraine in the war, as he did during the meeting with Zelensky: “Our vocation for unity in the face of Russian aggression is even stronger,” said Sánchez. Likewise, he appealed to “shared desire” to collaborate to build the Europe of the future, whatever their position on the continent, as members of the EU or outside it.
Zelensky calls for unity and initiative from Europe
Early this Thursday, Zelensky arrived in Granada on a visit that had not been confirmed by either the Spanish or the Ukrainian Government for security reasons. “Our common goal is guarantee the security and stability of our common European home“, he noted in a statement of intent through the social network X.
In his first intervention, Zelensky asked the leaders meeting in Granada to remain united in defense of Euro-Atlantic values in the face of the “political storm” in USA who questions support for his country. Thus, the Ukrainian president asked European leaders to be “prepared” to “stand together and work together to protect the common space of freedom with the United States.”
Aliyev and Erdogan, the big absentees
The leaders of AzerbaijanIlham Aliyev, and Türkiye, Recep Tayyip Erdogan. His absence was known this Wednesday. The Turk excused himself citing “schedule reasons.” Meanwhile, several Azerbaijani media explained that Aliyev’s cancellation is due to disagreements with the countries that play the role of mediators, in addition to the EU, in the open conflict with Armenia.
The usual appearance of the gathered representatives with which this type of meeting concludes will not be held
For his part, the high representative of the European Union (EU) for Foreign Affairs, Josep Borrell, has regretted these absences. Specifically, he has pointed out that it is “a shame” that both leaders missed the meeting where Armenians and Azerbaijanis were scheduled to discuss peace negotiations.
According to diplomatic sources, the usual appearance of the assembled representatives with which this type of meeting concludes will not be held on this occasion. At first it was planned that once the summit was over, they would appear Pedro Sanchez next to Maia SanduPresident of Moldova and British Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, since your country will host the next meeting of this community. The hearing will not finally take place because Sunak has to return to his country for scheduling reasons.
