Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who has not left his country since the invasion by Russia, is received this Wednesday at the White House by Joe Biden. He must then address the United States Congress.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky landed in the United States on Wednesday December 21, the White House announced, where the leader will be received by Joe Biden. This is his first international trip since the invasion of his country by Russia on February 24.
It has been 300 days since Russia invaded Ukraine and 300 days since the United States has supported Ukraine both economically and militarily, our correspondent in Washington points out, Guillaume Naudin. This first meeting between Joe Biden and Volodymyr Zelensky since the start of the war is intended to demonstrate the strength of this support. Not only verbal support, but also and especially material. A new tranche of military aid of almost 2 billion dollars is announced. It will include a new type of weapon: a battery of Patriot missiles. These are long-range anti-missile missiles to help Ukraine resist the bombings, described as barbaric in Washington, against the country’s energy infrastructure, intended to plunge the Ukrainian population into cold and dark during the winter. .
As the conflict drags on. There are different needs that have emerged and also greater confidence in the ability of Ukrainians to use these systems and not lose them.
Yohann Michel, specialist in defense issues at the International Institute for Strategic Studies
Zelensky to speak in Congress
After a bilateral meeting in the early afternoon, the two heads of state will hold a joint press conference. Volodymyr Zelensky will then address the Congress. It is not a coincidence. At the end of this year, senators and representatives are discussing a new line of credit for Ukraine worth more than $45 billion. Members of the future Republican majority in the House of Representatives have already said that there will be no more blank checks. It is to ask them to continue to support Ukraine that Volodymyr Zelensky will address them directly.
The United States, by far the largest donor to kyiv, has already provided, according to expert estimates, nearly 50 billion dollars in aid to the country at war, including 20 billion in armaments and military assistance.
(With AFP)
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