Dec. 10 (UPI) — President Volodymyr Zelensky is scheduled to visit the White House Tuesday as an aid package for Ukraine remains stalled in Congress, a statement from the White House said Sunday.
This will be the third trip Zelensky has made to Washington since Russia invaded Ukraine in February, 2022. He last visited in September. The latest aid bill is stalled in Congress after the Senate voted to reject a $111 billion dollar package that includes money for Ukraine, but also to help Indo-Pacific allies support humanitarian aid in Gaza, and bolster anti-drug trafficking operations at the U.S.-Mexico border.
President Biden invited Zelensky to the White House to “underscore the United States’ unshakable commitment to supporting the people of Ukraine as they defend themselves against Russia’s brutal invasion,” a statement from White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Sunday.
“As Russia ramps up its missile and drone strikes against Ukraine, the leaders will discuss Ukraine’s urgent needs and the vital importance of the United States’s continued support at this critical moment,” the statement continued.
The Senate rejected the aid package last week citing Republican concerns over a lack of adequate funding for border-related issues and have repeatedly said they will not support aid measures that don’t include sufficient funding for border security and anti-trafficking measures in the U.S.
The White House has said these tactics are preventing critical aid for Ukraine and warned that the government is “out of money and nearly out of time” to help war-ravaged Ukraine.
Some lawmakers have expressed hesitation over continuing to support aid to Ukraine, citing the war’s two-year mark approaching this winter, implying that aid from the U.S. can’t be open-ended.
Biden met with Zelensky in Kyiv in February to underscore American support for Ukraine and Zelensky was in Washington in December, and the Biden administration continues to voice strong support for Ukraine.
“As Russia ramps up its missile and drone strikes against Ukraine, the leaders will discuss Ukraine’s urgent needs and the vital importance of the United States’ continued support at this critical moment,” Jean-Pierre said.
Biden has said he is willing to make “significant compromises on the border,” and acknowledging that America’s immigration system is “broken,” but added the humanitarian crisis as a result of the war in Ukraine must be a priority. .
“History’s going to judge harshly those who turn their back on freedom’s cause,” Biden said earlier this month. “We can’t let Putin win,” he said of Russian President Vladimir Putin, and accused “extreme Republicans” of “playing chicken with our national security. “Frankly, I think it’s stunning we got to this point in the first place … Russian forces are committing war crimes – it’s as simple as that. It’s stunning,” Biden said.
Zelensky and Biden are expected to discuss cooperation in the coming year, including joint projects to produce weapons and air defense systems.
Ukraine reported Saturday that Russia launched nearly 100 air strikes across the country in a 24 hour period, as Ukrainian first lady Olena Zelenska warned its citizens were in “mortal danger” without Western military aid.
“We really need the help,” she recently told the BBC. “In simple words, we cannot get tired of this situation, because if we do, we die.
“And if the world gets tired, they will simply let us die.”