During his first known trip outside the country since Russia invaded 10 months ago, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will meet with President Joe Biden and deliver an address to both chambers of Congress on Wednesday.
The visit comes at a critical juncture in the conflict, as winter weather slows ground progress following a flurry of Ukrainian victories and Republicans prepare to take control of the House. While Kyiv pushes for more military aid from its Western allies, the slight GOP majority that will take control in January has hinted that it may tighten its support for Ukraine.
In an early Wednesday tweet, Zelenskyy stated that he was travelling to the United States “to strengthen the resilience and defence capabilities” of his country.
White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said in a statement Tuesday night that Zelenskyy’s visit “will underscore the United States’ steadfast commitment to supporting Ukraine for as long as it takes, including through the provision of economic, humanitarian, and military assistance.”
In the afternoon, Zelenskyy was scheduled to meet with Biden at the White House before the pair held a news conference in the East Room.
A senior administration official detailed a program that included meetings with key members of Biden’s national security team and Cabinet on a conference call with reporters Tuesday night.
According to the official, Zelenskyy will also visit Capitol Hill, where lawmakers are expected to vote on a massive funding bill that includes approximately $44.9 billion in Ukraine aid. According to the official, he will end the day with a formal speech to a joint session of Congress.
Biden and Zelenskyy had been discussing the details of the visit for more than a week, with Biden inviting Zelenskyy to the White House last Wednesday, according to the official. The visit, Zelenskyy’s first outside Ukraine since the conflict began in February, was formally confirmed on Sunday.
The official from the administration described the visit as an opportunity to provide a “important injection of momentum and sustenance” to US and allied support for Ukraine as its war with Russia continues.
On Tuesday, Zelenskyy paid a surprise visit to troops on the front lines in Bakhmut, an eastern city where Ukrainian forces have largely held out against Russian attacks for months.
Before the official announcement, Zelenskyy appeared to allude to the trip to Washington. A group of soldiers who assisted in the defense of Bakhmut presented him with a Ukrainian flag and asked him to deliver it to Congress; the Ukrainian president promised to deliver it to Biden himself.
“The guys handed over our beautiful Ukrainian flag with their signatures for us to pass on,” said Zelenskyy, according to The Associated Press. “We are not in an easy situation. The enemy is increasing its army. Our people are braver and need more powerful weapons. We will pass it on from the boys to the Congress, to the president of the United States. We are grateful for their support, but it is not enough.”
With the ground conflict largely frozen, Russia has waged war from the air, bombarding civilian infrastructure in an effort to keep large parts of the country without power throughout the winter.
Ukraine has urged its allies to strengthen its air defenses while also warning that the Kremlin may be planning a major new offensive next year.
The visit will coincide with Biden’s announcement of a new package of nearly $2 billion in security assistance for Ukraine, which will include a Patriot missile battery, according to an administration official. U.S. forces will train Ukrainian forces on how to operate the Patriot missile battery in a third country.
According to an administration official, Zelenskyy’s visit will allow him to address Americans and “thank the American people for the incredible support that they’ve received and thank both parties” for Ukraine’s bipartisan support.
Sen. Chris Coons, D-Del., wore a blue and yellow tie to match the colours of the Ukrainian flag in the halls of Congress on Wednesday. Zelenskyy’s visit, he said, was a “critical moment” for Congress and the American people to realize how critical their “support is to the success of their fight against Russia.”
“President Biden today gets a chance to remind the American people what we’ve accomplished by pulling together our allies throughout the world to stand for freedom,” he said.
Coons, who visited Ukraine last month in a show of bipartisan support with Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, noted that Zelenskyy would need to “clarify why they’re fighting, what they’re fighting for, and what difference it’s going to make.”
According to a Chicago Council on Global Affairs poll conducted last month, American support for Ukraine has weakened in recent months, particularly among Republicans. Two-thirds of those polled said they supported sending weapons and economic aid to Ukraine, but the number of Republicans who support sending aid has dropped from 80% in July to 55%.
Dmitry Peskov, Russian President Vladimir Putin’s press secretary, told reporters that the Kremlin does not expect any positive changes as a result of Zelenskyy’s visit to Washington. When asked if Moscow expects the situation to worsen as a result of the visit, Peskov stated that “arms supplies are continuing” and that “the range of supplied weapons is expanding.”
He said, “All this, of course, leads to an aggravation of the conflict and, in fact, does not bode well for Ukraine.”
