Zelensky appeals to the memory of the bombing of Guernica to urge Spain's support against Putin

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The president of Ukraine, Volodímir Zelenski, has asked

to understand his "pain" in the face of the relentless Russian aggression and has alluded to the

by German aviation in 1937 to urge decisive support for his people.

"We are in April 2022, but it seems like April 1937 in Guernica", he has said before all the members of the Government and the deputies and senators gathered in Congress.

"We want peace, we do not want conflict. Russia has been at war with us for a long time, since 2014, but now we are facing the greatest aggression since the Second World War," warned Zelensky, for whom there is no doubt that "Russia wants destroy the possibility of living without a dictatorship, without state violence, in an open democracy and in peace".

Putin's intention, he added, is "to dominate our region with his regime, destroy diversity and compromise between different people. And he wants to do it throughout Europe."

The Ukrainian president has insisted that the world must do everything in its power to "achieve peace" and in this sense has called for "stronger" sanctions against the

regime .

At this point he has thanked the Spanish companies that have stopped working with Russia but has made two exceptions referring to the firms

and

, which he has urged to put aside business with the aggressor country.

Zelensky has also advocated bringing Russian soldiers who have committed crimes in his country to the international criminal court and has insisted on the need to "do more" so that Moscow "begins to respect international law."

The plenary session of the Congress, during the message of the Ukrainian president.EFE

For this reason, Zelenski has made a call to "stop being afraid, be strong and put the values ​​of democracy above threats".

"You," he said, "can help us. We value your support and the weapons you send us as well as the sanctions you support against Russia. Freedom and human rights must be defended," he concluded.

For his part, the President of the Government, Pedro Sánchez, has condemned "with the greatest determination Putin's ruthless war" and has advocated prosecuting the "war crimes of the Russian president", he said, "which cannot go unpunished" .

Sánchez has taken advantage of his speech to ask Putin for an immediate end to the attacks and has assured that he will make all the necessary resources available to Ukraine, whether humanitarian or weapons.

"Putin will not achieve his goals," he assured.

The president has insisted that "Ukraine's hope is in

and also Europe's hope is in Ukraine for its defense of rights and freedom" and Zelenski has assured that Spain will support Ukraine's path in its intention of belonging to the

.

"Spain will always be with the Ukrainian people", he concluded.

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