Volodimir Zelenski will meet Joe Biden at the White House today and will visit the Capitol in what will be his first trip out of Ukraine since the start of the war ten months ago.
The visit of the Ukrainian president, anticipated by the local media and confirmed at dawn this Wednesday by the White House, will coincide with the announcement by Biden of a new and important package of military aid from the United States to the country invaded by amount of 1,800 million dollars; assistance that for the first time will include Patriot air defense missiles and smart bombs.
"President Biden has invited Volodymyr Zelensky to visit Washington, D.C. to underscore America's long-standing commitment to Ukraine," White House spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre said in the official note on the trip.
The US president "expects to receive" Zelenski this Wednesday, Jean-Pierre cautiously qualified. And he added that, afterwards, the Ukrainian president "will address the Congress in a joint session" of the two Houses and with a demonstration of "strong bipartisan support for Ukraine."
The spokeswoman recalled how, "three hundred days ago, Russia launched a brutal assault against Ukraine"; attack to which Biden responded by "urging the world" to support the people of that country "in the defense of their sovereignty and territorial integrity."
"During the visit, President Biden will announce a major new security assistance package to help Ukraine defend itself against Russian aggression," the White House Press Secretary reaffirmed. The visit will underline "the firm commitment of the United States" to maintain its aid to the attacked country "for as long as it is necessary and through the provision of economic, humanitarian and military assistance."
Zelenski also confirmed his trip to the US capital early this Wednesday. "On the way to the US to strengthen Ukraine's resilience and defense capabilities," he said on his Twitter account. And, in addition to highlighting the meeting with Biden and the session in Congress, he announced "a series of bilateral meetings" during the visit.
Before the official confirmation from the White House, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi had sent lawmakers a letter encouraging them to be "physically present" on Capitol Hill tonight for a "very special session dedicated to democracy".
In addition to the upcoming military support package, Congress is set to debate and vote on an annual budget for 2023 that includes new aid to Ukraine totaling nearly $45 billion.
Zelensky's trip to Washington will also coincide with a key meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and top Russian defense officials. The goal is to set Moscow's military targets for the next year and assess the progress of the invasion of Ukraine, as announced by the Kremlin.
On a surprise expedition by Zelensky to the battered town of Bakhmutl on Tuesday, Ukrainian soldiers handed him a signed flag and asked him to present it to the US Congress. He promised to do so, according to the informants who accompanied him: "We will give it to Congress and to President Biden. We are grateful for their support, but it is not enough," he said.
