IRIA News

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is visiting Washington for the third time since the Russian invasion of Ukraine started in February 2022. During his meeting with President Joe Biden and the U.S. lawmakers, Zelenskyy urged Washington to increase military aid for Ukraine.

The purpose of Zelenskyy’s visit to the U.S. was to push support for a $61 billion aid package from the U.S. that has been stalled in the U.S. Congress. Zelenskyy is hoping to convince the U.S. lawmakers, who are standing their ground in negotiations over the aid, in releasing more funds.

The White House has been supporting Kyiv for its war efforts, but top Republicans and Democrat lawmakers maintained that for the next batch of aid package to be approved, the Biden administration must also make concessions on border security and immigration policy. They say that the funding for Ukraine must be combined with funding for stricter security measures on the U.S.-Mexico border.

Zelenskyy’s visit to the U.S. is Kyiv’s push to have the deal approved before the holiday recess settles in.

Today, @POTUS Joe Biden and I discussed how to increase our strength for the next year.

Air defense and capabilities to destroy Russian logistics on our land; strengthening democracy’s arsenal by co-producing arms; more sanctions and isolation for Russia.

It’s very important… pic.twitter.com/KMfeUso6HD

— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) December 13, 2023

Package stalls

Zelenskyy’s visit to Washington and meetings with the U.S. lawmakers did little to move the resisting congressmen in shifting their support for the war without a deal on immigration reform. The White House and the Congress remain in a deadlock.

Zelenskyy told lawmakers that his country will never give up in its fight to expel invading Russian forces, but he warned that without more aid, the conflict will turn far more brutal as his military inevitably cedes ground to its determined and well-armed adversary. He said that the delay in military aid is a “dream come true” for Vladimir Putin.

The senators and lawmakers questioned the accountability for U.S. aid as Zelenskyy tried to assure senators that no money would be used corruptly in Ukraine. In a social media post following the meeting, Zelenskyy described the conversation as “friendly and candid” and thanked Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell “for their leadership in rallying bipartisan support for Ukraine among U.S. legislators.”

After visiting Capitol Hill, Zelenskyy arrived at the White House to meet with the U.S. President. Zelenskyy characterized the Capitol Hill meetings as “more than positive” but also acknowledged that the Ukrainians would have to “separate words from results.”

“It’s very important,” he said, “that by the end of this year, we can send [a] very strong signal of our unity to the aggressor and the unity of Ukraine, America, Europe, the entire free world.”

Biden says the US will support Ukraine “as long as we can”

While standing beside his Ukrainian counterpart during a joint news conference, U.S. President Joe Biden vowed that Washington would continue to support Kyiv for “as long as we can.”

Biden’s statement has seen a subtle shift in the tone, as he previously used to say the U.S. would support Ukraine in its defense against the Russian invasion for “as long as it takes.”

Mr. President, it's great to be by your side once again.

The American people – Democrats and Republicans alike – understand what happens when dictators don't pay a price for their death and destruction.

Congress must take action to continue our support for Ukraine. pic.twitter.com/wymfPCzGrt

— President Biden (@POTUS) December 13, 2023

Biden and Zelenskyy declined to provide details on Ukraine’s plans for the coming year, Biden also deflected a question about it and at what point the United States would urge Ukraine to negotiate with Russia to end the fighting. “Winning means Ukraine is a sovereign, independent nation,” he said.

Speaking to reporters during a meeting with Zelenskyy in the Oval Office, Biden announced he would be releasing $200 million in funding already approved by Congress to help Ukraine with its defensive needs. The $200 million aid package is a faction of the $60 billion sought by Biden for Ukraine.