The Pentagon’s statement says that V. Zelensky at 12:00 p.m. local time (19:00 Lithuanian time) after the presentation of US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, he will give a speech at the National Defense University in Washington.
Zelenskiy is due to meet with US President Joe Biden on Tuesday, amid opposition from Republicans over support for his country fighting a Russian invasion.
The visit is being held at a time when there are fears that Ukraine will soon run out of funds.
After the White House announced Zelensky’s visit, a White House aide said incoming House Speaker Mike Johnson, who has tried to tie aid to Ukraine to funding for US border security, would also meet with the Ukrainian leader on Tuesday.
At the time, a US Senate official said that Democratic Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Republican Leader Mitch McConnell had also invited Zelensky to speak at a meeting of all senators on Tuesday morning.
Mr. Biden and Mr. Zelensky will discuss Ukraine’s immediate needs as the country battles Russian invasion and “the vital importance of continued support from the United States at this critical time,” White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said in a statement.
The Ukrainian presidency said the meeting would focus on such important issues as “joint projects for the production of weapons and air defense systems, as well as coordination of the efforts of our countries in the coming years.”
Last week, Republican senators blocked the White House’s request for $106 billion. dollars (97.4 billion euros) joint emergency aid package for Ukraine and Israel, after Democrats refused to provide reforms on illegal migration.
It is seen as a setback for US President Joe Biden, who urged lawmakers to approve the funding, warning that Vladimir Putin would not stop at victory in Ukraine and could even attack a NATO country.
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2024-08-12 20:39:01
