During his visit to the US, Volodymyr Zelensky addresses Congress and Vice President Biden for military assistance for the Ukraine conflict

Despite some Republican legislators’ objections to giving billions more in assistance, U.S. President Joe Biden promised Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on Thursday that the U.S. would continue to back him strongly in his campaign to fend off Russian invaders.

In an effort to increase U.S. support for a conflict that started in February 2022 and has no end in sight, Zelenskiy and Biden conducted a war council in the East Room of the White House.

After two hours of discussion, Biden said to Zelenskiy, “Mr. President, we’re with you, we’re staying with you,” before crossing the table and shaking his hand.

Zelenskiy hailed Biden for the new $325 million military assistance package, adding “it has exactly what our soldiers need right now.”
In response to a Russian embargo and tensions with Poland, he claimed that he and Biden had reached an agreement on concrete actions to increase grain exports from Ukraine. He did not specify how to do it.

In a budget battle driven by Republican hardliners in the House of Representatives, Biden’s request for an additional $24 million in financing for Ukraine to assist cover the country’s security and humanitarian supplies until the end of the year has been blocked.

When asked how to overcome the resistance, Biden said that the US Congress’s permission was the only option.

“I’m relying on the US Congress to make wise decisions. There is no other option, he said.

The resistance was typified by remarks made by Republican Senator Rand Paul, a regular opponent of foreign assistance. According to him, Ukraine is a “corrupt regime” and there is no sign of a resolution to the conflict, he told Fox Business News.

The first American Abrams tanks, according to Biden, would arrive in Ukraine the following week.

In the future, Biden added, “we’re committed to helping Ukraine recover and rebuild, including supporting reforms that will combat corruption, just as we’re committed to helping Ukraine defend itself today.”

DEFENSE BY AIR

According to Biden, Washington would also provide a second Hawk air defense battery and associated hardware to Ukraine. The equipment would soon arrive in Ukraine, according to a U.S. official.

Zelenskiy traveled to Washington on a blitz across town that included talks with military commanders at the Pentagon, a trip to the U.S. Capitol, and a presentation in the evening at the National Archives museum after seeking support from the world community at the UN on Wednesday.

When he and Zelenskiy met earlier in the Oval Office, Biden praised the courage of the Ukrainian people and announced a fresh $325 million military aid package for Ukraine.

At the beginning of their conversation, Biden remarked, “Together with our partners and friends, the American people are committed to see to it that (we) do) all (we) can to guarantee that the world stands with you.

Zelenskiy said that Ukraine significantly values American support “to combat Russian terror” and that he would speak with Biden about Ukraine’s military requirements, with a focus on air defense.

He said, “Today I’m in Washington to improve our capacity to protect Ukrainian children, families, and homes, as well as freedom and democracy worldwide.

Zelenskiy confronted a rougher audience than when he visited Washington nine months ago, despite the fact that Biden and the majority of congressional leaders still favor assistance to Ukraine and Biden’s Democrats still have the majority in the Senate.

According to a post on the platform X by Senator Chris Murphy, Zelenskiy informed the entire U.S. Senate in the Old Senate Chamber of the Capitol while wearing military green to signify his role as a wartime commander and received many standing ovations.

After the briefing, which took place behind closed doors, Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said in the Senate floor that Zelenskiy had informed senators that military assistance was essential to Ukraine’s war effort.

Schumer cited Zelenskiy’s statement that “we will lose the war if we don’t get the aid.”

Later, Zelenskiy characterized his conversations with legislators as open and fruitful.

Zelenskiy spoke with top Pentagon officials, including Lloyd Austin, the U.S. Defense Secretary. He paid a visit to the Sept. 11 monument at the Pentagon, where he and his wife each laid a bouquet of flowers, including sunflowers, irises, and other blooms.

In an effort to strengthen Ukraine’s long-term military capabilities, the White House stated that the United States would hold a meeting this autumn for representatives of the American defense industry, Ukrainian business leaders, and officials from both governments to discuss joint ventures and co-production.

Zelenskiy informed Biden of his efforts to combat corruption during their discussion, and the vice president stressed the need of Ukraine having effective anti-corruption mechanisms, according to the White House.

There is not a person in Ukraine who does not feel appreciation to you, America, Zelenskiy said in his address at the National Archives, in front of a display case housing the U.S. Constitution.

Doctors who treated Ukrainian troops and civilians as well as those who collected money for medical supplies including ambulances and medical equipment were recognized by Zelenskiy and his wife.

A increasing number of Republicans have questioned the billions of dollars Washington has provided Kyiv for military, economic, and humanitarian needs as Congress engages in a contentious fight over spending ahead of a potential government shutdown.

Since Russia invaded in February 2022, the United States has provided Zelenskiy’s administration with almost $113 billion in security and humanitarian assistance.