Ukrainian President Volodimir Zelenski travels to the U.S. capital on Wednesday in what will be the Ukrainian leader’s first visit to a foreign country since the beginning of the Russian invasion of his country.
This was confirmed late Tuesday by the U.S. government, which said that during his visit, Zelenski will meet with U.S. President Joe Biden and will participate in a special session on Capitol Hill to address members of the House of Representatives and the Senate.
«I am pleased to intrude on your evening with what I think is quite exciting news, which is that, at the invitation of President Biden, President Zelenski will visit Washington tomorrow and will have the opportunity to participate here at the White House and then go to Capitol Hill,» a senior official detailed in a statement released by the Biden Administration.
During the meeting at the White House, which will take place at 14.00 hours (20.00 Spanish peninsular time), Zelenski and Biden will have «an extended meeting» in which key members of the National Security team and Biden’s Cabinet will participate.
Later, Zelenski will address a joint session of Congress to demonstrate «strong bipartisan support for Ukraine,» the White House said in the letter. After his speech, the Ukrainian leader will return to Ukraine.
Meanwhile, the still speaker of the Lower House, Nancy Pelosi, released a statement hours earlier warning that Congress would hold a session on Wednesday night with «a very special focus on democracy».
The visit of the Ukrainian president to the United States was discussed by both presidents during a telephone conversation on December 11, and the White House formally invited Zelenski on December 14.
The visit, which has not been finalized until the last minute and has been kept secret for security reasons, will coincide with the Biden Administration’s intention to send Ukraine a new defense aid package that will include Patriot missile systems, CNN has reported.
Since February 24, when the Russian invasion of Ukraine began, Zelenski has remained in Kiev and has not left the country, despite the offer of some countries for the president to take refuge in the face of Russia’s aggression.
However, the Ukrainian president has declined all offers, stressing that he, as head of state of his country, should remain during the war. So far, only the country’s first lady has represented Ukraine abroad in person, while the president has done so by means of videoconferences.
Source: (EUROPA PRESS)
