Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy addressed Spain's parliament on Tuesday, asking for more help from the country's lawmakers.

Speaking via video link to a packed Congress of Deputies in Madrid, he compared the current devastation in Ukraine to the bombing of Guernica in 1937, one of the worst atrocities of the Spanish Civil War.

"It's April 2022 but it seems like April 1937 when the whole world heard about one of your cities, Guernica," he said of the carpet-bombing of the northern town by Nazi aircraft in support of Francisco Franco's nationalist forces.

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Zelenskyy also urged Spanish companies still operating in Russia to boycott the country, and for politicians to impose tougher sanctions.

"Really strong - the most powerful sanctions are needed. How can you allow Russian banks to generate profits while Russian soldiers torture ordinary civilians to death in Ukrainian cities? How can European companies trade in a state that is consciously killing our people?" the Ukrainian leader insisted more needed to be done to punish Russia.

"I know that many of your companies have already stopped financing the Russian military machine through taxes. I want to thank you," he added.

Zelenskyy's address to the Spanish parliament began nearly 20 minutes late because he was participating in a UN Security Council meeting.

The United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has asked for an independent investigation into the alleged killings of around 280 men, women and children in Bucha outside the Ukrainian capital Kyiv.

Zelenskyy has accused Russia of genocide over the alleged killings. Meanwhile, Russia has denied all accusations, suggesting the 'events' were staged. As the images from Bucha emerged, Spain responded by expelling 25 Russian diplomats, following similar moves by Italy, Denmark and Sweden.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez concluded proceedings by pledging to continue sending military aid to Ukraine. However, that policy has been opposed by one of his coalition partners the left-wing Podemos party.

Sanchez also offered Spain's full support for Ukraine's bid to join the European Union.