AFPZelensky and Biden at their previous meeting at the White House last September
NOS Nieuws•gisteren, 22:54
President Zelensky will be a guest of President Biden at the White House next Tuesday. Military cooperation and unity are the main themes of the visit to the US, Zelensky’s spokesman said. The president’s appointment comes at a time when military support to Ukraine from Washington is stalling.
According to the Reuters news agency, the Ukrainian leader has also been invited to address the Senate. That message has not yet been officially confirmed.
The White House said in a statement that it was a “critical moment” when Ukraine needed additional help. “Now that Russia is again bombarding Ukraine with drones and missiles, the two leaders will discuss what Ukraine urgently needs.”
Billion-dollar package blocked
Of all the visits to the US by the Ukrainian leader, this may be the most charged. Recently, a billion-dollar aid package for Ukraine was blocked in the House of Representatives. The Republican Party forms the majority in the House and is critical of additional aid to Kyiv. The party only wants to approve the enormous support package if more money also goes to stricter asylum measures.
The provisionally blocked aid package has a value of $110 billion, more than half of which is intended for Ukraine. The rest of the package is intended for Israel, Taiwan and the Gaza Strip.
Video consultation cancelled
Zelensky canceled a video consultation with the Senate and House at the last minute a few days ago. No reason was given for this. Earlier in the day, Zelensky’s chief of staff said Ukraine risks losing the war without support from Washington.
The US is by far Ukraine’s most important ally. With a view to next year’s presidential elections, where Republican Trump is ahead in the polls, Kyiv is seriously concerned about the continuation of the war.
Zelensky’s last visit to Washington was in September. At that time, the Republican Party also expressed reservations about the continued flow of weapons and military equipment to Ukraine. The then Speaker of the House did not want to make additional commitments to Kyiv. Zelensky was also not given permission to address the Senate and House jointly, where he received a standing ovation the previous time.
2023-12-10 21:54:02
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