WASHINGTON — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy is because of meet President Joe Biden in Washington the place he’s anticipated to reach on December 21 on his first journey overseas because the begin of Russia’s invasion as Congress prepares to vote on a sweeping spending invoice that features a provision to allocate greater than $40 billion in further army support to Ukraine.
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“In the course of the go to, President Biden will announce a big new package deal of safety help to assist Ukraine defend itself towards Russian aggression,” the White Home mentioned in a press release, including that Zelenskiy “will deal with a joint session of Congress, demonstrating the robust, bipartisan help for Ukraine.”
Zelenskiy’s adviser, Mykhailo Podolyak, instructed Reuters that the go to is “extraordinarily vital” and that it invalidates Moscow’s makes an attempt to drive a wedge between Washington and Kyiv by alleging bilateral relations have gotten cooler.
“Firstly, each the go to itself and the extent of deliberate conferences unequivocally testify to the excessive diploma of belief between the international locations. Secondly, this lastly places an finish to the makes an attempt by the Russian aspect…to show an allegedly rising cooling in our bilateral relations,” Podolyak mentioned in written feedback.
“This, after all, just isn’t even shut,” Podolyak added. “The US unequivocally helps Ukraine.”
A senior U.S. administration official mentioned in a name with reporters on December 20 that, throughout Zelenskiy’s go to, the Biden administration will announce $1.8 billion in already accredited army support to Ukraine that can, for the primary time, embrace a Patriot missile battery and precision guided bombs for his or her fighter jets.
Earlier than addressing Congress, Zelenskiy is predicted to satisfy one-on-one with Biden on the White Home and maintain talks with leaders of the Democratic and Republican events.
“Within the assembly tomorrow, President Biden can have the chance with President Zelenskiy to have an in-depth strategic dialogue, on the best way forward on the battlefield, on the capabilities and coaching the U.S. and our allies proceed to supply to Ukraine,” the official mentioned.
The journey “is one thing we have needed to do for a while,” he added.
Zelenskiy’s go to comes greater than 300 days after Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered his troops into Ukraine, triggering the most important struggle on European soil because the finish of World Struggle II. It additionally coincides with Congress’s consideration of a $1.7 trillion spending package deal that features large support to Ukraine.
The omnibus invoice, as it’s recognized, would fund the U.S. authorities via September and is predicted to move the Home and Senate, although there’s discontent amongst some Republicans, who management half of the 100 Senate seats.
Nevertheless, the senior official mentioned the Biden administration is assured that help will stay bipartisan.
“So, this is not about sending a message to a specific political social gathering. That is about sending a message to Putin and sending a message to the world that America might be there for Ukraine for so long as it takes,” the official mentioned.
Zelenskiy’s go to “doesn’t damage to get the omnibus invoice over the aim line 100%,” Andrij Dobriansky, director of communications for the Ukrainian Congress Committee of America (UCCA), an influential diaspora group, instructed RFE/RL.
Ukraine is extremely depending on U.S. army support to defend itself. The failure to move the invoice may result in a U.S. authorities shutdown early subsequent yr when Republicans take management of the Home and set off a hold-up of further support to Ukraine at a time when many anticipate Russia to launch a brand new offensive.
“For Ukraine funding proper now, its all concerning the omnibus,” Dobriansky mentioned.
Putin earlier this week made his first journey to Minsk in additional than three years to see Belarusian strongman Alyaksandr Lukashenka amid hypothesis the Russian chief might attempt to strain Belarus to hitch the battle towards Ukraine.
Zelenskiy can also be coming to the US now to “make an enormous present” following Putin’s go to to Belarus, Dobriansky mentioned.
“Zelenskiy can say, ‘I can present up on the White Home anytime I would like.’ It displays on what entry Zelenskiy has and what entry Putin has,” he mentioned.
The go to could be Zelenskiy’s second to the White Home since taking workplace greater than 3 1/2 years in the past.
Two sources who confirmed plans for Zelenskiy’s journey to the AP cautioned that it may nonetheless be referred to as off on the final minute resulting from safety considerations.
‘A Very Good Factor’
U.S. officers described particulars of the miltary support to Ukraine on situation of anonymity as a result of it has not but been introduced, the AP reported. The package deal can have about $1 billion in weapons from Pentagon shares and one other $800 million in funding via the Ukraine Safety Help Initiative, which funds weapons, ammunition, coaching, and different help, officers instructed the AP.
Ukraine has additionally been asking for Abrams tanks, ATACMS long-range guided missiles, and F-16s, however the Biden administration has up to now refused to provide the inexperienced mild on these highly effective weapons methods, and there was no indication it could approve them throughout Zelenskiy’s go to.
John Herbst, the previous U.S. ambassador to Ukraine from 2003-06, instructed RFE/RL that the administration’s approval of any a kind of weapon methods would justify Zelenskiy taking the chance of touring backwards and forwards to the US amid Russian strikes.
Nonetheless, he mentioned that if Zelenskiy’s deal with to Congress “does, the truth is, stymie or scale back the populist Republican opposition to help to Ukraine, that might clearly be an excellent factor.”
The help for Ukraine included within the omnibus spending package deal, which lawmakers are below strain to move by midnight on December 23, could be greater than $40 billion and would quantity to the most important American infusion of help but.
It’s a number of billion {dollars} greater than Biden requested. A wing of the Republican Occasion in Congress has come out towards large-scale support to Ukraine.
Republican Home Takeover
Internet hosting Zelenskiy might be one of many remaining acts for Home Speaker Nancy Pelosi (Democrat-California), who might be changed by a Republican when the brand new Home session opens early in January. Democrats misplaced management of the Home within the November election however retained the Senate.
Pelosi hinted in a letter to colleagues on December 20 {that a} distinguished customer was anticipated on the Capitol.
“We’re ending a really particular session of the 117th Congress with laws that makes progress for the American individuals in addition to help for our democracy,” Pelosi wrote within the letter, which was quoted by the AP. “Please be current for a really particular deal with democracy Wednesday night time.”
Zelenskiy’s go to places Pelosi’s anticipated successor, Consultant Kevin McCarthy (Republican-California), on the spot after he mentioned in an interview previous to the November elections that People are “not going to jot down a clean examine to Ukraine.”
The remark raised concern amongst members of Congress who’ve vowed to proceed supporting Ukraine for so long as it takes to defeat Russia.
A Tour Of Ukraine’s Battle-Scarred Snake Island
Images from a press tour organized by the Ukrainian army trace on the large firepower that rained down on the strategically important Black Sea island throughout months of Russian occupation.
As Home speaker, McCarthy would have broad latitude to nominate Ukraine-skeptic lawmakers because the chairs of the budgetary and the international affairs committees, in addition to the ability to determine which payments come up for a vote.
Zelenskiy’s go to to Washington would observe on the heels of his journey to town of Bakhmut in Ukraine’s contested Donetsk area on December 20 to point out help for the “braveness, resilience, and energy” of Ukrainian troops.
Although Russia’s invasion has misplaced momentum, if it had been profitable in capturing Bakhmut, Russian forces would sever Ukraine’s provide traces and open a route for them to press towards key Ukrainian cities within the Donetsk area.
‘Not In An Straightforward Scenario’
In a video launched by his workplace, Zelenskiy is seen receiving a Ukrainian flag from the troops in Bakhmut, and he alludes to delivering it to U.S. leaders.
“The blokes handed over our stunning Ukrainian flag with their signatures for us to move on,” Zelenskiy mentioned within the video. “We aren’t in a straightforward scenario. The enemy is growing its military. Our persons are braver and wish extra highly effective weapons. We’ll move it on from the boys to the Congress, to the president of the US. We’re grateful for his or her help, however it isn’t sufficient. It’s a trace — it isn’t sufficient.”
Zelenskiy has addressed the U.S. Congress as soon as earlier than — on March 16 in a stay video deal with through which he referred to as on lawmakers to move additional sanctions and help a no-fly zone over Ukraine.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, requested if Moscow hoped that one thing constructive may come from Zelenskiy’s journey, mentioned, “No.”
“The availability of weapons continues and the vary of equipped weapons is increasing. All of this, after all, results in an aggravation of the battle. This doesn’t bode nicely for Ukraine,” Peskov mentioned.
