Salvador Illa, President of the Generalitat of Catalonia, has become the first leader of a European regional government to travel to Ukraine during the ongoing war, meeting President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kyiv on Thursday, 3 September 2026. Illa conveyed Catalonia’s full support for Ukraine’s defence against Russian invasion, its future accession to the European Union, and the use of frozen Russian assets in Catalonia for reconstruction.
"It has been a very productive meeting in which we were able to express not only the desire to cooperate, but also the desire to learn from a country that has shown a resilience that I believe must be highly valued," Illa said after the talks.
We are very grateful for everything that has been done since the very beginning of the Russian aggression.
Zelenskyy thanked Catalonia via social media, writing: "We appreciate it when our partners, at their level, help to address concrete challenges on the ground. Thank you for this visit and for your constant and indestructible support for Ukraine and the Ukrainians. We are very grateful for everything that has been done since the very beginning of the Russian aggression."
Catalonia signs reconstruction pacts
During the visit, the Catalan government signed cooperation agreements with the regional authorities of Zaporizhzhia, Dnipropetrovsk, and Lviv. The memorandums aim to establish a structured framework for collaboration in reconstruction, health, and humanitarian aid. Illa described the partnerships as a way to translate political support into "concrete actions" in regions critical to Ukraine’s future.
The agreements were signed in Kyiv with regional governors Ivan Fedorov, Oleksandr Hanzha, and Maksym Kozytskyy, following a meeting at the Ukrainian Ministry for Communities, Territories, and Internal Displacement.
Security concerns amid ongoing attacks
The trip took place under tight security, with the Catalan delegation reduced to essential personnel. Security was coordinated with the Spanish embassy in Kyiv, following a series of intensified Russian attacks on civilian infrastructure. On Tuesday, 2 September, a missile strike on rail facilities in Kyiv killed at least 12 people.
Illa was accompanied by Barcelona mayor Jaume Collboni, who was invited to address Kyiv’s municipal plenary, and Jaume Duch, Minister of European Union and Foreign Action. Illa also conveyed personal regards to Zelenskyy from Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez and former EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell.
Recognition for humanitarian work
Later in the trip, Illa is scheduled to join Dominican nun Sister Lucía Caram at an event honouring her humanitarian efforts in支援 to Ukraine. Caram has been active in aid missions since the start of the war.
The Catalan president reiterated that Ukraine’s fight is a European one. "The future of Ukraine is the future of Europe and Catalonia," he said, stressing that Kyiv’s resistance defends all Europeans against authoritarian aggression.
Reported by en.ara.cat, inkorr.com, europesays.com, 20minutos.es, bbc.com, politico.eu, AFP, Kyiv Post, larazon.es, Diari ARA.
