WASHINGTON— President Biden will meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky next Thursday at the White House following the United Nations General Assembly.
The meeting will allow Biden to reaffirm support for Ukraine in its war with Russia and hear Zelensky’s perspective on the conflict, national security adviser Jake Sullivan told reporters Friday. The U.S. is also expected to announce more weapons deliveries for Ukraine’s armed forces, according to Sullivan.
President Biden, left, speaks at an event with G7 leaders and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky during the NATO Summit, in Vilnius, Lithuania on July 12. Paul Ellis/Pool Photo via AP
Biden will “reaffirm for the world and the United States – for the American people – his commitment to continuing to lead the world in supporting Ukraine as it defends its independence, its sovereignty, and its territorial integrity,” Sullivan said.
The sit-down comes at a pivotal moment, as Biden’s request for $24 billion in additional assistance for Kyiv faces an uphill battle in Congress. Some conservative House Republicans have threatened to shut down the U.S. government if a spending bill contains a so-called “blank check” for Ukraine. Current government funding will lapse on Sept. 30.
Zelensky is expected to meet with lawmakers on Capitol Hill in addition to Biden while in Washington. He has pressured the U.S. and its allies to maintain support as the 18-month-old war drags on with no end in sight.
Sullivan this week met with members of the House and Senate and said bipartisan support for backing Ukraine “felt as strong as it did a year ago” but that the funding package could be difficult to pass into law.
“I acknowledge that there’s a difference between this Congress and the last Congress, and we’ll have to contend with that as we go through the discussions that will continue in the days ahead on how to get Ukraine the resources it needs,” he told reporters.
Biden will meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday in New York. Netanyahu has sought to meet with Biden since retaking office late last year, but the president had resisted over the inclusion of far-right members in the Israeli parliament and his unprecedented effort to curb the power of the nation’s judiciary.
Biden and Netanyahu will discuss issues “focused on the shared democratic values between the United States and Israel and a vision for a more stable and prosperous and integrated region as well as to compare notes on effectively countering and deterring Iran,” Sullivan said.
Biden also plans to meet Wednesday with Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly. The two leaders also plan to host an event with labor officials from both countries, according to Sullivan.
Send questions/comments to the editors.
Success. Please wait for the page to reload. If the page does not reload within 5 seconds, please refresh the page.
Enter your email and password to access comments.
Hi, to comment on stories you must . This profile is in addition to your subscription and website login.
Already have a commenting profile? .
Invalid username/password.
Please check your email to confirm and complete your registration.
Only subscribers are eligible to post comments. Please subscribe or login first for digital access. Here’s why.
Use the form below to reset your password. When you've submitted your account email, we will send an email with a reset code.