Visit to the US by Zelenskyy for talks with Biden and speech to Congress

Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the president of Ukraine, has visited the White House for the first time since Russia invaded the nation in February. President Joe Biden has extended a warm welcome to him.

Before Zelenskyy addresses a joint session of Congress in the evening, Biden and Zelenskyy, who came earlier on Wednesday, will speak at the White House.

According to a senior administration official, the two leaders’ discussions will cover “an in-depth strategic conversation on the way ahead on the battlefield,” possible supplies of equipment and training from the United States and other allies, as well as economic, energy, and humanitarian aid.

The person stated that President Biden will have the chance to emphasize that this support extended beyond what had already been accomplished to include what would be done today and into the future.

No one knows if Zelenskyy has ever left Ukraine, but he has been outside of the capital, Kyiv, and on Tuesday he went to the eastern city of Bakhmut, where his troops have been fighting hard.

Zelenskyy has frequently requested that the United States and other countries give Ukraine air defense systems that could assist it in fending off missile and drone attacks by the troops of Russian President Vladimir Putin that have pounded the country’s infrastructure and devastated cities all around the country.

Before Zelenskyy came to Washington, the US showed off a new package of military aid for Ukraine. It includes Patriot missile batteries, which are a more advanced air defense system than Ukraine had before.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken stated in a statement that “this $1 billion drawdown would give Ukraine improved air defense and precision-strike capabilities, as well as additional ammunition and key equipment that Ukraine is employing so well to protect itself on the battlefield.”

Additionally, as part of its Ukraine Security Support Initiative, the Department of Defense today announced an additional $850 million in security assistance for Ukraine. “This would raise the entire amount of U.S. military aid provided to Ukraine since the start of the administration to an unprecedented $21.9 billion,” he continued.

Dmitry Peskov, a spokesman for the Kremlin, told reporters on Wednesday that Russia sees no hope of holding peace negotiations with Ukraine and that any further arms sales to that country will escalate the conflict.

In addition to the practical parts of the negotiations, the administration official said that Zelenskyy’s visit was important because it sent a message to the US, Ukraine, and the rest of the world that the US is still committed to Ukraine.

“It’s important to convey to Putin and the rest of the world that America will support Ukraine for as long as it takes,” the person added. “When President Putin assumed that the Ukrainian people would submit and that NATO would be divided, he made a grave error in judgment at the outset of this conflict.” On both those points, he was wrong. He continues to be mistaken about our tenacity. This visit will show that to be the case.”

The representative claimed that Zelensky’s speech to Congress would particularly demonstrate the bipartisan character of American support.

Zelenskyy was invited to testify before both chambers of Congress on Wednesday in a letter released to the public by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on behalf of the bipartisan leadership in Congress.

According to Pelosi, “the battle for Ukraine is the battle for democracy itself.” “We are eager to hear your motivating message of cohesion, resilience, and determination. “We appreciate your leadership and taking this request into account.”

Any attempt to have Ukraine try to negotiate an end to the war that Russia initiated will not be a part of Zelensky’s visit, according to the Biden administration.

Even though Russia could end the conflict at any time by leaving Ukraine, a senior administration official said that neither Russia nor its allies have shown any signs that they plan to do either.

According to the official, Biden “is not going to pressure or push Zelenskyy to the negotiating table, but rather he is going to work with Congress and with our allies to put Ukraine in the best position on the battlefield, so that when the time is right they are in the best position at the negotiating table.”

VOA