President Volodymyr Zelensky arrived in Madrid on Wednesday for a visit kept secret for security reasons until his plane landed, to discuss strengthening Ukraine's air defences and defence cooperation with Spain and to meet Latin American leaders gathered for the Ibero-American Summit. He is expected to hold talks with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez and King Felipe VI and to join a meeting with several visiting leaders on Thursday.
Zelensky confirmed his arrival on social media, saying that "our top priority is strengthening Ukraine's air defences, protecting our people, and expanding defence cooperation and production." He added that "further support steps are being prepared" without giving details of the measures or the leaders he would meet.
The visit comes as Western officials have been trying to persuade Spain and Greece to donate some of their Patriot PAC-2 interceptors, which are nearing the end of their shelf life, to Ukraine, according to the Kyiv Independent. Earlier this year the Spanish government pledged five Patriot PAC-2 missiles. Kyiv has said it needs about 300 Patriot missiles to fend off expected Russian ballistic missile attacks in the coming winter. Spain has backed Ukraine with military and economic support, including training Ukrainian soldiers and supplying Leopard 2 tanks. This is Zelensky's fifth visit to Spain since Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022, and part of a tour of allies that has also taken him to Turkey, Germany, the Netherlands and Britain.
According to Euronews, the trip's schedule includes a Thursday meeting with leaders including UN Secretary-General António Guterres and European Council President António Costa, with Sánchez also expected. Beyond the bilateral talks with Sánchez and King Felipe VI, Zelensky plans to meet representatives of several of the 22 Ibero-American delegations in Madrid, according to government sources. The summit is seen in Kyiv as a chance to strengthen contacts with Latin America, where the war has produced divided positions.
Zelensky said contacts with the American side were also on the agenda amid a renewed U.S. push to broker peace between Kyiv and Moscow. In his words: “Contacts with the American side are also on the agenda these days. We are coordinating with our partners to achieve concrete results on security issues and the next steps toward peace.”
The summit's two days bring together Latin American leaders from a region described by Euronews as tilting to the right, including the far-right presidents of Argentina and Chile, Javier Milei and José Antonio Kast. Milei visited Madrid two weeks ago and called Sánchez a “disgraceful dictator”. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum and Brazil's Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva are among the leftist leaders not attending. Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares rejected the idea that the forum is in decline, saying that “it is absolutely not a forum in decline”, and pointed to all 22 countries having someone in Madrid, at least their foreign minister.
Addressing Ibero-American business leaders, King Felipe VI argued against protectionism, saying that "the best response does not lie in protectionism, but in an open economy based on equal rules for everyone". He highlighted the region's energy resources and strategic raw materials, including critical minerals and rare earths, and stressed the need for stable environments, legal certainty and transparent institutions to attract investment, adding that "trust is one of our most valuable assets and, allow me to say, also one of those we can most easily lose".
Analysis
Why This Matters
- Zelensky's visit puts pressure on Spain to contribute more air defence ahead of winter, when Ukraine expects heavy Russian ballistic missile attacks.
- The summit gives Kyiv a rare opening to engage Latin American governments, a region where the war has produced divided positions.
- Zelensky's reference to contacts with the American side signals that a renewed US push for peace talks is part of the agenda.
Background
The Ibero-American Summit brings together Spanish- and Portuguese-speaking countries in Europe and the Americas. Its influence has declined in recent years; the 2024 meeting in Ecuador drew a historically low number of heads of state and ended without a final declaration. Madrid is hosting the 30th edition, which organisers cast as a summit of reaffirmation.
Key Perspectives
- Volodymyr Zelensky: says the priority is strengthening Ukraine's air defences and expanding defence cooperation, and that further support steps are being prepared.
- King Felipe VI: argues against protectionism and for an open economy with equal rules for everyone, and calls for stable institutions to attract investment.
- José Manuel Albares: rejects the idea that the Ibero-American forum is in decline, saying all 22 countries are represented in Madrid.
What to Watch
- Whether Spain moves from pledges of Patriot missiles to donating interceptors, a step Western officials have reportedly been urging.
- The outcome of Thursday's meeting with Guterres, Costa and other leaders, and any concrete security commitments.
- Whether Zelensky's bilateral contacts with Latin American delegations produce visible shifts in positions on the war.
Checked
12 claims in this story checked against 2 sources: 12 supported.
Show each claim
- SupportedZelensky made a surprise visit to Madrid.Euronews: “Zelenski makes surprise visit to Madrid for talks with Sánchez and Latin American leaders.”
- SupportedThe visit was for air-defence talks.Kyiv Independent: “President Volodymyr Zelensky is visiting Madrid on Nov. 4 to discuss ways to bolster Ukraine's sky shield and strengthen Spanish-Ukrainian defense cooperation.”
- SupportedZelensky arrived in Madrid on Wednesday, and the visit was kept secret for security reasons until his plane landed.Euronews: “Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy arrived in Madrid on Wednesday for a series of high-level meetings coinciding with the Ibero-American Summit. His visit, which was kept secret for security reasons until his plane landed,”
- SupportedZelensky is expected to meet Sánchez and King Felipe VI and join a Thursday meeting with several visiting leaders.Euronews: “Zelenskyy will take part in a meeting on Thursday with several of the leaders who have travelled to the capital, among them UN Secretary-General António Guterres and European Council President António Costa. The presence of the Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez is also expected”
- SupportedZelensky said, “our top priority is strengthening Ukraine's air defences, protecting our people, and expanding defence cooperation and production.”Euronews: “Zelenskyy confirmed his arrival on social media, saying "our top priority is strengthening Ukraine's air defences, protecting our people, and expanding defence cooperation and production."”
- SupportedZelensky added, “further support steps are being prepared,” without details on the measures or leaders he would meet.Euronews: “"Further support steps are being prepared," the Ukrainian president added, without providing details on the measures or the leaders he would meet.”
- SupportedThe Kyiv Independent reported that Western officials were trying to persuade Spain and Greece to donate Patriot PAC-2 interceptors nearing the end of their shelf life to Ukraine.Kyiv Independent: “The visit follows reports that Western officials have been attempting to convince Spain and Greece to donate some of their Patriot PAC-2 interceptors — which are soon to reach the end of their shelf life — to Ukraine .”
- SupportedThe Spanish government pledged five Patriot PAC-2 missiles earlier this year.Kyiv Independent: “Earlier this year, the Spanish government pledged to provide Ukraine with five Patriot PAC-2 missiles.”
- SupportedKyiv said it needs about 300 Patriot missiles to fend off expected Russian ballistic missile attacks in the coming winter.Kyiv Independent: “Kyiv said it needs about 300 Patriot missiles to fend off the expected Russian ballistic missile attacks in the coming winter.”
- SupportedZelensky said contacts with the American side were on the agenda and that Ukraine was coordinating with partners on security and steps toward peace.Kyiv Independent: “"Contacts with the American side are also on the agenda these days. We are coordinating with our partners to achieve concrete results on security issues and the next steps toward peace," Zelensky said amid a renewed U.S. push to broker a peace between Kyiv and Moscow.”
- SupportedAlbares said, “it is absolutely not a forum in decline,” and argued that all 22 countries had someone in Madrid, at least their foreign minister.Euronews: “"It is absolutely not a forum in decline," he insisted on Wednesday before the foreign ministers' meeting. His argument is that all 22 countries have someone in Madrid, at least their foreign minister”
- SupportedKing Felipe VI told Ibero-American business leaders, “the best response does not lie in protectionism, but in an open economy based on equal rules for everyone”.Euronews: “"The best response does not lie in protectionism, but in an open economy based on equal rules for everyone," he told Ibero-American business leaders gathered in Madrid.”