President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine says he is heading to Washington, D.C. for a Wednesday go to.
He introduced his journey in a tweet early Wednesday, saying, “On my technique to the US to strengthen resilience and protection capabilities of Ukraine. Particularly, @POTUS and I’ll focus on cooperation between Ukraine and the U.S. I may even have a speech on the Congress and plenty of bilateral conferences.”
The White Home stated in a press release early Wednesday that President Biden invited his Ukrainian counterpart “to underscore the USA’ enduring dedication to Ukraine.”
In line with the assertion, the 2 president will meet on the White Home, then Zelenskyy “will deal with a joint session of Congress, demonstrating the sturdy, bipartisan help for Ukraine.”
“300 days in the past,” the assertion continued, “Russia launched a brutal assault towards Ukraine. In response, President Biden rallied the world to help the folks of Ukraine as they defend their sovereignty and territorial integrity.
“Throughout the go to, President Biden will announce a big new bundle of safety help to assist Ukraine defend itself towards Russian aggression. The go to will underscore the USA’ steadfast dedication to supporting Ukraine for so long as it takes, together with by the availability of financial, humanitarian, and army help.”
A senior administration official stated the bundle will quantity to “almost $2 billion” and embrace, for the primary time, a Patriot missile battery “which can be a vital asset to defend the Ukrainian folks towards Russia’s barbaric assaults on Ukraine’s vital infrastructure. We’ll practice Ukrainian forces on find out how to function the Patriot missile battery in a 3rd nation.”
The official stated Mr. Biden would guarantee Zelenskyy that the U.S. “will stand with Ukraine for so long as it takes and that in doing so, that help will stay broad, deep, and bipartisan.”
The go to has been within the works since November. An earlier plan to go to the U.S. in September throughout the U.N. Basic Meeting was known as off because of the struggle.
U.S. Rep. Marcy Kaptur, co-chair of the Home Ukraine caucus, confirmed to CBS Information there had been on-going, severe, behind-the-scenes efforts to carry Zelenskyy to Washington.
Ukrainian Presidential Press Service/Handout by way of REUTERS
“We would be very honored to have him go to. I am amazed he could make it in view of the state of affairs,” Kaptur stated. “It would be an amazing reward to have him on the Capitol. We’re working with the management to be useful. We personally perceive if he can not make it on the final minute.”
In a letter to her Democratic colleagues Tuesday, Home Speaker Nancy Pelosi urged her members to return to Washington and be “bodily current” on the Home’s session Wednesday. Punchbowl information was the primary to report that Zelenskky’s go to was the explanation for the sudden gathering.
“We’re ending a really particular session of the 117th Congress with laws that makes progress for the American folks in addition to help for our Democracy,” Pelosi wrote. “Please be current for a really particular give attention to Democracy Wednesday night time.”
Throughout an deal with to the Ukrainian folks, Zelenskyy stated this week is “extraordinarily necessary” for Ukraine and advised he’d been requested to cross alongside a token of gratitude to the nation’s allies.
“Our fighters gave me our flag as we speak and requested to cross it on to these whose selections are crucial for Ukraine, for all our warriors,” he stated. “We will certainly do it. We will certainly endure. We will certainly get the mandatory help for Ukraine.”
Zelenskyy’s speech comes as Congress is working to cross a sweeping $1.7 trillion authorities spending bundle that features almost $45 billion in army, humanitarian and financial help for Ukraine. The measure can be one of many last items of laws handed by the present Congress, and lawmakers have been shifting 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 accepted by Congress, can be the newest tranche of emergency help offered to Ukraine because it continues to struggle Russia.
Lawmakers have allotted greater than $65 billion in support to Ukraine for the reason that invasion, although some Home Republicans have expressed opposition to persevering with direct funding to the nation. This new bundle would carry U.S. help to over $100 billion.
The Protection Division has additionally dedicated intensive army tools, as of the top of November, together with 38 Excessive Mobility Artillery Rocket Techniques and ammunition, eight Nationwide Superior Floor-to-Air Missile Techniques, 45 T-72B tanks, greater than 1,600 Stinger anti-aircraft techniques and greater than 8,500 Javelin anti-armor techniques, in addition to helicopters, armored automobiles and mine-resistant automobiles.
Zelenskyy has repeatedly expressed his gratitude to Mr. Biden and lawmakers for funding and safety help, however in March made an emotional plea for extra weapons, together with air-defense techniques. The Ukrainian president appeared nearly earlier than each chambers of Congress on the time and invoked key occasions in U.S. historical past — the 1941 assault on Pearl Harbor and Sept. 11, 2011, terror assaults — to additional underscore the necessity for extra assist.
Zelenskyy’s anticipated go to can be a part of his first journey outdoors Ukraine since Russia invaded in late February, and would characterize a daring resolution to go away the nation amid the continued struggle and Russian makes an attempt on his life. He met with Mr. Biden on the White Home in early September 2021, and the 2 have spoken repeatedly by telephone within the months since Russia’s invasion, throughout which the U.S. President has expressed continued help for Ukraine.
The White Home has explored having Mr. Biden go to Ukraine a number of occasions however has tabled such plans amid safety considerations. However different senior U.S. officers, together with Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Protection Secretary Lloyd Austin, have visited the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv over the course of this yr.
Democratic Sen. Chris Coons of Delaware stated Tuesday that Zelenskyy addressing Congress can be “the right ending to 2 years the place President Biden has had some landmark successes, and a yr the place his greatest success internationally has been rallying our NATO allies to help the Ukrainian shut.”
Alan He, Melissa Quinn, Caroline Linton and Brian Dakss contributed to this report.
