Washington — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has arrived within the U.S. to satisfy with President Biden and ship an tackle to Congress in his first journey outdoors Ukraine since Russia invaded in February.
Planning for Zelenskyy’s go to was shrouded in secrecy as a consequence of safety issues till U.S. officers confirmed the journey Tuesday night time. Zelenskyy tweeted early Wednesday morning that he was coming to “strengthen [the] resilience and protection capabilities of Ukraine.”
Mr. Biden will greet Zelenskyy on the White Home at 2 p.m. ET, and the 2 will maintain a joint press convention at 4:30 p.m. Zelenskyy will then tackle a joint assembly of Congress at 7:30 p.m., Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s workplace stated.
As Zelenskyy arrived, the State Division unveiled a brand new army support bundle for Ukraine price $1.85 billion, which can embrace a Patriot missile battery for the primary time. A senior administration official stated the Patriot system, which is extremely efficient at capturing down planes and ballistic missiles, might be “a vital asset to defend the Ukrainian folks in opposition to Russia’s barbaric assaults on Ukraine’s vital infrastructure.” The official stated the U.S. “will prepare Ukrainian forces on the way to function the Patriot missile battery in a 3rd nation.”
Zelenskyy’s go to comes as Russia has ramped up strikes in opposition to vital Ukrainian infrastructure as winter units in, with Russian forces final week launching one of many largest assaults on the capital of Kyiv because the struggle started.
The Ukrainian president’s speech to Congress additionally comes as U.S. lawmakers work to go a sweeping $1.7 trillion authorities spending bundle that features practically $45 billion in army, humanitarian and financial help for Ukraine. The measure can be one of many closing items of laws handed by the present Congress, and lawmakers have been transferring with urgency to clear the omnibus invoice earlier than a Friday deadline to avert a partial authorities shutdown.
The roughly $45 billion included for Ukraine is increased than the $37.7 billion requested by the White Home in November and, if authorised by Congress, can be the most recent tranche of emergency help supplied to Ukraine because it continues to battle Russia.
Lawmakers have allotted greater than $65 billion in support to Ukraine because the invasion, although some Home Republicans have expressed opposition to persevering with direct funding to the nation. This new bundle would deliver U.S. help to over $100 billion.
