Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has decided to cancel his scheduled visits to Portugal and Spain, as reported by CNN Portugal. The decision comes amidst what has been described as a "serious internal situation" within Ukraine, though specific details regarding the nature of the situation were not provided.
Sources suggest that Zelensky's delegation may have recognized the challenging circumstances currently faced by Ukraine, particularly in regions like Kharkiv, making international travel impractical at this time. This isn't the first instance of such postponements regarding visits to Portugal and Spain by the Ukrainian head of state.
Earlier reports indicated that Zelensky had planned discussions with the King of Spain regarding Ukraine, with the Spanish government withholding specific details of the visit for security purposes. Additionally, there were expectations of the signing of a bilateral security cooperation agreement with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez during the visit.
Recent developments within Ukraine have heightened tensions, notably with reports of Russian offensive actions along the defense lines in the Kharkiv region. Air strikes, along with the deployment of reserve units, have been witnessed in response to these escalations. Moreover, there have been indications of Russia's attempts to divert Ukrainian forces from other areas of the front line by deploying small assault units near Sumy Oblast, as stated by Kyrylo Budanov, the head of the Main Intelligence Directorate.
