US President Joe Biden and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky are planning to meet at the White House on Wednesday, according to two sources familiar with the planning, in a Washington visit that is tentatively scheduled to include an address to a joint session of Congress,
CNN reports.
Zelensky is already on his way to Washington, two separate sources said, for a visit that marks his first trip outside of Ukraine since the Russian military operation began in February of this year.
The visit to the White House, which hasn’t been finalized and has remained tightly held due to security concerns, will include a meeting with Biden and top administration officials and is planned to coincide with the administration’s intent to send the country a new defense assistance package. Biden will announce an additional $1.8 billion in security assistance to Ukraine during the expected visit, a significant boost in aid headlined by the Patriot missile systems within the package, a US official told CNN.
The new announcement will add to the nearly $20 billion in US security assistance provided to Ukraine since Russia’s military operation began, and will come at the same moment US lawmakers are considering a sweeping government spending measure that includes an additional $45 billion in emergency assistance to the country.
The White House declined to comment on a potential visit or Biden announcement or new security assistance announcements.
Lawmakers are also planning for Zelensky to visit Capitol Hill to speak on Wednesday evening, though sources say the visit hasn’t been finalized as officials work through security preparations. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi wouldn’t confirm reports Zelensky would be coming to the Capitol on Wednesday, saying, “I don’t know that that’s going to happen.”
“We don’t know yet. We just don’t know,” she said.
When asked by CNN if the invitation had been made to him, she said: “No. Not until we know if he can come.”
A visit by the Ukrainian leader to Washington would amount to a significant moment 10 months since Russia’s military operation in Ukraine began. Zelensky has emerged as an international personification of Ukrainian resistance to the military operation and has spent much of the year asking nations for support.
