"Volodymyr Zelensky asked for the postponement of all international events scheduled for the coming days and the setting of new dates," Serguei Nykyforov said on social media, without indicating which trips were canceled, according to the French agency AFP. The Spanish authorities had previously announced a visit by Zelensky to Madrid and the Portuguese government said that a trip to Lisbon was also being prepared. Russia launched a surprise offensive on Friday against the Kharkiv region, whose capital, of the same name and the second largest city in Ukraine, is located near the border between the two countries. The Ukrainian presidency today announced the sending of reinforcements to the Kharkiv region, after part of the forces were withdrawn from some positions due to the significant advances of Russian troops. "Additional forces have been sent and reserves are available," Zelensky's spokesman announced, after a meeting between the Ukrainian president and the commander-in-chief of the Ukrainian forces, Oleksandre Syrsky, quoted by AFP. The most active clashes were taking place in Lukianti and Vovchansk, north of Kharkiv, where Russian troops managed to penetrate last week for the first time since the start of the invasion, at the end of February 2022. Russian advances in the region have led to the displacement of more than 7,500 people in recent days, including more than 560 children. Zelensky asked the United States on Tuesday to send two "Patriot" missile systems to defend Kharkiv during a meeting in Kiev with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken. Read Also: Kharkiv threat forces Zelensky to step back and cancel trip to Portugal (Portuguese version)