Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky will meet with United States President Joe Biden next Thursday in Washington after the United Nations General Assembly in New York. Both plan to give a speech on Tuesday, National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan confirmed at a press conference at the White House.
The meeting comes as the US government seeks to increase support for Ukraine and that country’s counteroffensive to retake Russian-occupied territories. So far, progress by Ukrainian forces has been slower than expected, although Washington insists it has made “remarkable progress,” particularly in the southwest. Sullivan has also emphasized that the meeting comes just days after the meeting between that country’s president, Vladimir Putin, and the leader of North Korea, Kim Jong-un, in eastern Russia, where Pyongyang supplies ammunition and raw materials for the Russian armed forces.
Zelensky’s visit to Washington will be his second in nine months. The Ukrainian president, who this year also met with his American counterpart in Hiroshima (Japan) during the G-7 summit and in Lithuania during the NATO summit, already traveled to the American capital on a visit last December, during which he et al. When he spoke with Biden at the White House, he addressed both houses of Congress and called for a continued flow of weapons to deter the Russian invasion.
Since then, the United States has gradually approved the transfer of types of weapons that would have been unthinkable when the war began 19 months ago. Approved shipment of Abrams tanks earlier this year; He later blessed other countries that gave up F-16 fighter jets; This was followed by cluster bombs and, as announced last week, anti-tank munitions containing depleted uranium.
In fact, Zelensky’s visit coincides with information suggesting that the White House is considering deploying long-range tactical missile systems, abbreviated ATACMS. Kiev claims it needs such equipment to make significant progress against Russia.
Last week, Secretary of State Antony Blinken traveled to Kyiv for a two-day visit – his third to the Ukrainian capital since the war began in February 2022 – as a gesture of support for Zelensky’s government. Washington, the head of US diplomacy emphasized, will support Ukraine with everything necessary for as long as necessary.
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But despite the U.S. government’s expressions of goodwill, U.S. public support for the war is declining. Several Republican candidates for the White House in next November’s elections, including the favorite for the party’s nomination, former President Donald Trump, were skeptical of the war and were willing to cut economic and military support for Kyiv.
Biden has asked Congress to approve a new aid package for Ukraine that includes $13.1 billion in military aid and $8.5 billion in humanitarian aid. But the most conservative members of Congress, particularly in the House of Representatives, are calling for cuts in federal spending. Some have their sights set precisely on aid supplies for Kiev.
In his speech to the UN General Assembly, Zelensky will call on countries to strengthen support for Kiev and try to persuade governments skeptical of the conflict to take stronger positions condemning the war. While in the United States, he plans to meet with various international leaders, including Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli government has announced.
In Washington, according to the digital Punchbowl News, he will visit the Capitol again, but this time will not speak in front of the two chambers. Instead, he will meet with lawmakers individually.
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