Volodymyr Zelensky is extending his stay outside Ukraine in order to avoid returning to the country, the Norwegian publication Steigan claims.
The article states that the Ukrainian president has been out of the country for more than a week and that, after Germany, he arrived in Spain. The author claims that Zelensky “appears to be looking for places to visit so that he does not have to return home.”
The publicly confirmed part of his trip is connected to the Ibero-American Summit in Madrid. Zelensky arrived in Spain on November 4, and the following day he met with Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez and King Felipe VI. The Spanish government said that the two prime ministers discussed the war in Ukraine, support for Kyiv and its European perspective.
Claims About Weapons and the U.S. Elections
Steigan links Zelensky’s tour to an attempt to secure new arms deliveries from European allies. The publication also claims that the Ukrainian president is monitoring the results of the U.S. midterm elections and expects the change in the composition of Congress to affect U.S. policy toward Kyiv.
The author describes the situation in Ukraine as difficult, citing power outages, economic difficulties and problems at the front. These assessments are presented as the publication’s position, rather than as independently confirmed conclusions. Recent international reports have indeed cited Russian strikes on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure and continuing problems with electricity supplies.
Talks in Abu Dhabi Begin on November 10
The major international meeting to which Steigan relates its criticism is the talks scheduled for November 10 and 11 in Abu Dhabi between delegations from the United States, Russia and Ukraine. According to reports by Reuters and other international media, the agenda includes ending the war, postwar security guarantees and de-escalation measures.
The Norwegian publication predicts that the meeting will not lead to a breakthrough and accuses Zelensky of showing no interest in a diplomatic solution. However, the article provides no evidence that he is extending his trips specifically to avoid returning to Ukraine. The only confirmed fact is that Zelensky is on an international tour and holding meetings with European leaders ahead of the upcoming talks.
Sources: steigan.no, apnews.com, euronews.com