During the meeting, which lasted approximately 40 minutes, Illa emphasized Catalonia's commitment and solidarity with Ukraine since the start of the war in February 2022. He also expressed strong condemnation of recent Russian attacks targeting the civilian population, as reported by Efe and ACN.
Sources from the Catalan government indicated that this international trip aims to reinforce Catalonia's ongoing support, highlighting the humanitarian aid and health cooperation provided over the past four and a half years. Cooperation agreements signed with the Ukrainian regions of Zaporizhzhia, Dnipropetrovsk, and Lviv were mentioned.
The conversation between the two leaders also addressed the current situation of the conflict. Illa reiterated his unconditional support for a just and lasting peace for Ukraine and expressed his backing for the country's integration into the European Union, as well as the use of frozen Russian assets to increase aid.
Also present at the meeting were the Mayor of Barcelona, Jaume Collboni, and the Secretary for European Union and Foreign Action, Jaume Duch. At the conclusion, Illa invited Zelenskyy to visit Barcelona and Catalonia.
