Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky expressed on Thursday that Argentina’s Javier Milei is eager to “work in person” toward achieving “peaceful and reliable security assurances.”
Zelensky and Milei had a phone conversation just hours before President Donald Trump was set to meet Vladimir Putin in Alaska on Friday. Argentine government sources confirmed that the approximately 15-minute call was an “honest conversation between two friends.” They also discussed the possibility of Milei visiting Kyiv.
“We certainly talked about the diplomatic situation. We briefed each other on our recent contacts with partners, emphasizing that our position is clear: Ukraine needs peace and reliable security assurances. Javier is prepared to make a personal effort in this regard. Thank you!” Zelensky noted on social media, where he also recognized Argentina’s economic achievements and shared his interest in further research on Ukraine.
“Right now, the relationship between our countries is reaching a particularly high level. We delved into various topics. There’s significant potential for collaboration in technology, the economy, and agriculture,” he continued. “We also agreed to restart political consultations between our Foreign Ministries. Our teams will actively ensure this happens soon.”
Zelensky mentioned that he and Milei decided to keep the lines of communication open, adding, “I look forward to welcoming Javier in Ukraine.”
Milei has not made any public comments regarding his conversation with Zelensky during press interactions.
The Argentine president has shown strong support for Ukraine, assisting Ukrainians since Russia’s renewed invasion in 2022. He has been an advocate for Ukraine, contrasting with leftist regimes in regions like Venezuela, Cuba, and Nicaragua.
The two leaders first communicated in November 2023, when Milei, during Argentina’s presidential campaign, voiced his “full support” for Zelensky against the Russian invasion. Zelensky attended Milei’s inauguration on December 10, 2023, where Milei, a Jewish student at that time, was given a Menorah by Zelensky, who lit it as a symbolic gesture.
Since then, they have met on different occasions and held additional phone calls to discuss their bilateral relationship.
In a significant policy shift, shortly after taking office, Milei reorganized Argentina’s foreign policy, moving away from two decades of socialist governance that aligned the country with authoritarian regimes in Iran, China, Russia, Cuba, Venezuela, and Nicaragua. Milei’s foreign policy emphasizes strong ties with the United States and Israel.
Milei has consistently backed Ukraine, recently supporting a UN resolution in February that called for Russia to halt its invasion of Ukraine. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio criticized the U.S. vote on the resolution as “hostile,” claiming it hindered efforts to encourage negotiations between Russia and Ukraine.
Sources within Argentine diplomacy explained that supporting the UN resolution was a “strong” decision aimed at maintaining neutrality while attempting to “balance” relations between both sides.
