Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will travel to Washington, DC on Monday for meetings at the White House and the United States Capitol as right-wing US Republicans resist efforts to send more money to support Ukraine’s response to Russia’s full-scale invasion.
In a statement on Sunday, the White House said US President Joe Biden had invited Zelenskyy to discuss the “vital importance” of continued US support for Ukraine’s defence and the “urgent needs” it faces.
In a statement on Sunday, the White House said US President Joe Biden had invited Zelenskyy to discuss the “vital importance” of continued US support for Ukraine’s defence and the “urgent needs” it faces.
Zelenskyy is also expected to address US senators on Tuesday morning.
An aide for US House of Representatives Speaker Mike Johnson said Zelenskyy would also hold a private meeting with Johnson who has been trying to link Ukraine aid to immigration reforms at the US’s southern border.
The meetings come as Biden attempts to rally support for a $106bn military aid plan mostly for Ukraine and Israel, which Republicans blocked last week after walking out of a classified briefing on Ukraine amid demands for border reforms.
Zelenskyy’s office confirmed the planned meeting with Biden, adding that key areas of discussion would include defence cooperation between the US and Ukraine, “particularly through joint projects on the production of weapons and air defence systems, as well as the coordination of efforts between our countries in the coming year”.
Link from www.aljazeera.com