Republicans block aid payments to Kiev in Congress. President Zelenskiy therefore travels to Washington.
New York/Washington. Volodymyr Zelensky is on the move these days. He was recently in Buenos Aires, at the inauguration of the new Argentine president, Javier Milei. Zelensky needs allies left and right: it has been almost two years since Russian President Vladimir Putin sent his troops into Ukraine. The war is still going on there, but Zelensky is gradually running out of partners. In Buenos Aires he also met with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, who aims to awaken sentiment against the Ukrainian cause in the EU. And on Tuesday Zelensky is expected to come to Washington DC.
Last week, Republicans in the Senate blocked a million-dollar aid package for the country attacked by Russia. US President Joe Biden would like to send $50 billion for military support to Ukraine, as well as additional funds for economic and humanitarian aid. But Republicans refused, even when Biden offered them concessions on US migration policy in return.
The situation is so grim that the same man who was able to convince Republicans of his cause in the past is now traveling to DC: Zelensky. Ukraine's president is expected to meet with Biden on Tuesday. The meeting comes after a hail of Russian rockets targeted the Ukrainian capital, Kiev, on Monday. Ukrainian air defense depends on international donors; The EU wants to send 50 billion dollars to Kiev in the coming days.