Zelensky to Meet With Biden in Washington Next Week

Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelensky, will go to Washington subsequent week following his look on the United Nations Normal Meeting, in keeping with three U.S. officers.

Mr. Zelensky’s plan to look in particular person earlier than the Normal Meeting on Tuesday, as a part of the U.N.’s annual gathering in New York Metropolis, was beforehand recognized. However his follow-on journey to Washington — the place he’s anticipated to fulfill with President Biden on the White Home and members of Congress on Capitol Hill — has not but been introduced formally.

It comes because the Biden administration works to shore up assist in Congress for a further $24 billion in army and humanitarian assist for Ukraine amid a grinding Ukrainian counteroffensive that has thus far yielded disappointing outcomes. Mr. Zelensky insists that Ukraine can nonetheless make main positive factors.

Mr. Zelensky final visited Washington in December, the place he addressed Congress and urged the continued provide of American weapons for his nation’s battle in opposition to Russia, which is about to enter its nineteenth month. Since then, anxiousness has grown amongst Ukraine’s supporters as they’ve watched a decline in U.S. public assist for persevering with assist to the nation.

Mr. Zelensky is just not anticipated to make a proper public speech to Congress this time however is predicted to carry conferences on the Capitol, together with with congressional leaders, in keeping with aides aware of the plans. Though most lawmakers nonetheless assist assist for Ukraine, a rising refrain of right-wing Republicans, most of them within the Home, has been making an attempt to curtail help, and even threatening to dam measures to fund the federal authorities in the event that they embrace what they name a “clean verify” for Ukraine.

Speaker Kevin McCarthy, who faces a rebellious far-right flank of his celebration that might value him his job, has appeared to wobble underneath the stress to not replenish the funds, regardless of beforehand saying that he backed continued assist for Ukraine. He’s contemplating pushing forward with a supplemental funding invoice that will focus completely on home issues resembling emergency catastrophe help and border safety, placing extra funding for Ukraine in danger.

The Biden administration has remained resolute. Throughout a go to to Kyiv, the Ukrainian capital, final week, Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken vowed that the US would proceed to assist Ukraine.

Mr. Zelensky’s deliberate visits come amid reviews that the Biden administration could also be nearing a call on sending Ukraine long-range Military Tactical Missile Techniques referred to as ATACMS, which Ukrainian officers say they should make main advances in opposition to Russia. Ukrainian officers have stated in latest weeks that they’re hopeful that Mr. Biden will approve the weapons.