Biden, Zelenskyy meet at White Home as U.S. readies extra Ukraine help

Washington — President Biden and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy offered a united entrance towards Russian aggression on the White Home on Wednesday, with Mr. Biden saying the U.S. will ship billions of {dollars} in additional navy help to bolster Ukrainian forces and repel Russian airstrikes.

At a press convention, the U.S. president mentioned he would proceed to help Ukraine “so long as it takes,” and denounced Russian assaults on Ukrainian infrastructure because the brutal winter chilly units in.

“We ought to be clear about what Russia is doing — it’s purposefully attacking Ukraine’s important infrastructure, destroying the programs that present warmth and light-weight to the Ukrainian individuals in the course of the coldest, darkest a part of the yr. Russia is utilizing winter as a weapon,” Mr. Biden mentioned, standing subsequent to Zelenskyy within the White Home East Room. “It is essential for the American individuals and for the world to listen to immediately from you, Mr. President, about Ukraine’s combat and the necessity to proceed to face collectively via 2023.”

Requested what message he had for the American individuals, Zelenskyy emphasised that “we now have the identical values.”

“We actually combat for our frequent victory towards this tyranny. And that’s actual life. And we are going to win. And I really need [to] win collectively. Not need — I’m positive,” mentioned Zelenskyy, who alternated between talking in English and Ukrainian.

Zelenskyy’s go to to Washington was his first recognized journey exterior Ukraine within the 300 days because the Russian invasion started. Mr. Biden rolled out the purple carpet for his Ukrainian counterpart, who wore a now-familiar uniform consisting of an olive-green sweatshirt, cargo pants and boots. The 2 first held a gathering within the Oval Workplace, the place Mr. Biden mentioned the U.S. “stands with the good individuals of Ukraine” and known as Zelenskyy a “nice chief.”

After his conferences on the White Home, Zelenskyy left for Capitol Hill, the place he was set to fulfill with congressional leaders and tackle a joint assembly of Congress.

The journey got here collectively simply throughout the final week, and the plans had been cloaked in secrecy given the extraordinary safety considerations that include a wartime chief touring exterior his nation. 

Sitting within the Oval Workplace, Zelenskyy mentioned it was a “nice honor” to be welcomed to the White Home, and expressed his appreciation “from my coronary heart, from the hearts of Ukrainians, all Ukrainians” for Mr. Biden’s “help and management.”

In a second that appeared to catch Mr. Biden off guard, Zelenskyy offered him with a fight medal {that a} Ukrainian captain combating on the entrance traces had given him. “He is very courageous, and he mentioned, ‘Give it to a really courageous president,'” Zelenskyy mentioned, noting that the captain instructions a unit utilizing a weapons system offered by the U.S.

Shortly earlier than Zelenskyy arrived, the State Division unveiled a brand new navy help bundle for Ukraine price $1.85 billion, bringing the overall navy help despatched to Ukraine to $22 billion. In a primary, the U.S. is sending the Ukrainians a Patriot missile battery, a classy air protection system that may repel Russian missiles and plane. The brand new bundle additionally contains hundred of 1000’s of mortars and artillery shells, dozens of armored automobiles and specialised kits that drastically improve the effectiveness and accuracy of bombs dropped from fighter jets. 

“We’ll proceed to strengthen Ukraine’s means to defend itself, notably air protection,” Mr. Biden mentioned. “And that is why we’ll be offering Ukraine with a Patriot missile battery and coaching your forces to have the ability to precisely use it.”

The Ukrainian president’s speech to Congress comes as U.S. lawmakers work to move a sweeping $1.7 trillion authorities spending bundle that features almost $45 billion in navy, humanitarian and financial help for Ukraine. If accepted by Congress, it will be the most recent tranche of emergency help offered to Ukraine.

Lawmakers have allotted greater than $65 billion in whole help, which incorporates monetary and humanitarian help, to Ukraine because the invasion, although some Home Republicans have expressed opposition to persevering with direct funding to the nation. The brand new funding would carry U.S. help to over $100 billion.