BUENOS AIRES - Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky on Sunday congratulated Argentina's new President Javier Milei while attending an inauguration ceremony in Buenos Aires, where he met with several South American leaders.
Zelensky, making his first trip to Latin America since Russia's invasion, is looking to build support for his country's fight against the Russian invasion.
"This is a new beginning for Argentina, and I wish President Milei and the entire Argentinian people to surprise the world with their success," Zelensky said on social media after attending the ceremony.
Footage showed Zelensky and Milei embracing and speaking at the inauguration.
"I am also confident that bilateral cooperation between Ukraine and Argentina will continue to expand," Zelensky added.
Zelensky had warmly welcomed Milei's victory end-November, thanking him for his "clear support for Ukraine."
Russian President Vladimir Putin had also congratulated Milei in November but the Kremlin "took note of a number of statements that Javier Milei made during the electoral campaign."
"We will focus on and judge him mainly by the statements that he makes after the inauguration," spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.
Both Moscow and Kyiv have courted Latin American countries, which have been divided over their response to the Ukraine war.
Earlier today Zelensky met with the leaders of Ecuador, Paraguay and Uruguay.
"The support and strong united voice of Latin American countries that stand with the people of Ukraine in our fight for freedom and democracy is very important for us," Zelensky said on X, formerly Twitter.
Буенос-Айрес. Зустрівся з Хав’єром Мілеєм та привітав його з офіційним вступом на посаду Президента Аргентини.
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) December 10, 2023
Сьогодні на площах і вулицях Буенос-Айреса дуже часто звучало слово «свобода» – libertad. І це поєднує нас – Україну та Аргентину. Ми справді цінуємо свободу, ми… pic.twitter.com/VGrNxEmHV2
The Ukrainian leader said he was grateful to Uruguay's Luis Lacalle Pou and his nation "for supporting Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity."
He praised Uruguay's participation in the third foreign advisors meeting on the implementation of Ukraine's formula for peace, and invited Ecuador and Paraguay to join.
Zelensky spoke with Paraguay's leader Santiago Pena and "thanked him for its strong support of Ukraine within international organisations."
In talks with Ecuador's President Daniel Noboa, Zelensky also discussed the possibilities "to expand bilateral cooperation."