Ukraine鈥檚 Zelensky visits Spain in pursuit of more weapons to fight Russia with

Zelensky had been due to visit Spain earlier this month (Ukrainian Presidential Press Office via AP)
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  • A Western intelligence assessment suggested that Russia鈥檚 Kharkiv offensive has subsided
  • Zelensky had been due to visit Spain earlier this month but he postponed all his foreign trips after the Kremlin鈥檚 forces launched a cross-border offensive in the northeastern Kharkiv region

MADRID: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky arrived in Madrid on Monday where he was expected to sign a bilateral security agreement with Spain that will help his country fight its more than two-year war with Russia amid a recent offensive by the Kremlin鈥檚 forces.
Spain鈥檚 King Felipe VI met Zelensky at the capital鈥檚 Barajas airport. The Ukrainian leader was due to hold talks with Prime Minister Pedro S谩nchez about what local media reported is a planned 1.1 billion-euro ($1.2 billion) agreement for Spain to supply Ukraine with more weapons.
Zelensky had been due to visit Spain earlier this month but he postponed all his foreign trips after the Kremlin鈥檚 forces launched a cross-border offensive in the northeastern Kharkiv region and left Ukrainian troops reeling.
That push has further strained Ukraine鈥檚 already depleted army, which in recent months has been fighting Russia鈥檚 intense drive deeper into the partially occupied eastern Donetsk region. Zelensky said on Sunday that the Kremlin鈥檚 army is mustering at another point in Russia, farther north but close to the approximately 1,000-kilometer (600-mile) front line, presumably to try to crack Ukrainian resistance in the area.
A Western intelligence assessment suggested that Russia鈥檚 Kharkiv offensive has subsided.
鈥淭he northern Kharkiv front has likely stabilized with Russian territorial control fragmented and not joined up,鈥� the UK defense ministry said Sunday. 鈥淩ussia鈥檚 gains in this axis will be limited in the coming week, as Russia鈥檚 initial momentum has been contained by Ukrainian resistance.鈥�
That is in line with Zelensky鈥檚 claim last Friday that Ukrainian forces have secured 鈥渃ombat control鈥� of areas where Russian troops entered the Kharkiv region.
The onslaught unfolding as the weather improves has brought Ukraine鈥檚 biggest military test since Russia鈥檚 full-scale invasion in February 2022. Slow deliveries of support by its Western partners, especially a lengthy delay in US military aid, have left Ukraine at the mercy of Russia鈥檚 bigger army and air force.
Spanish newspaper El Pais, citing unidentified sources familiar with the bilateral deal, said it would include another batch of US-made Patriot air defense systems that Ukraine has long pleaded for to help it fend off Russian missile attacks.
Other items include more Leopard tanks for Ukraine and 155mm artillery shells that are the most used by Ukraine on the battlefield, El Pais said. Spain will also continue training Ukrainian troops and treating its wounded soldiers.