Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is expected to visit the White House and the US Capitol next week, during his trip to the United States to participate in the United Nations General Assembly, the Associated Press agency reported this Thursday.
Zelensky’s trip comes as the US Congress debates providing $21 billion (about €19.7 billion) in military and humanitarian aid to Ukraine, which is facing the Russian invasion.
This trip was confirmed by a government official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, saying that Zelensky will meet with President Joe Biden at the White House next Thursday.
The visit to the Capitol was confirmed by two congressional aides, also on condition of anonymity.
The Ukrainian head of state paid a wartime visit to Washington in December 2022 and gave a powerful speech during a joint session of Congress.
At the time, Zelensky thanked Americans for helping finance the war effort and stressed to congressmen that the money “is not charity,” but rather an “investment” in global security and democracy.
Details of Zelensky’s visit next week have not yet been released.
Congress is increasingly divided on the issue of providing additional funding to Ukraine.
Biden proposed a package of $13 billion (about €12.2 billion) in additional military aid for Ukraine and $8 billion (about €7.5 billion) for humanitarian support.
But some conservative Republican lawmakers have been pushing for broad cuts in federal spending, and some have specifically sought to halt money to Ukraine as Congress works to pass its annual appropriations bills before the Sept. 30 deadline to keep the United States government in operation.
The military offensive launched on February 24, 2022 by Russia in Ukraine caused, according to the most recent UN data, the worst refugee crisis in Europe since the Second World War (1939-1945).
The Russian invasion – justified by Russian President Vladimir Putin with the need to “denazify” and demilitarize Ukraine for Russia’s security – was condemned by most of the international community, which has responded by sending weapons to Ukraine and imposing sanctions on Russia. political and economic.
Source: TSF
