KYIV/WASHINGTON, Dec 21 – Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is on his way to Washington on Wednesday to meet with President Joe Biden, address Congress and seek “guns, guns and more weapons” on his first foreign trip since Russian invasion of Ukraine after 300 days.
Zelenskyy said the visit was aimed at strengthening Ukraine’s “resilience and defense capabilities” amid repeated Russian attacks on energy and water supplies in the dead of winter.
Presidential political adviser Mykhailo Podolyak said the visit showed a high level of trust between the two countries and offered him an opportunity to explain what weapons Kyiv needs.
“This finally puts an end to the Russian side’s attempts … to prove the alleged growing cooling in our bilateral relations,” Podoljak told Reuters.
“Of course, this is far from it, the United States clearly supports Ukraine.
Biden will announce nearly $2 billion in additional military aid to Ukraine, which will include a Patriot missile battery to help defend against Russian missile fire, a senior U.S. official said.
“…Guns, guns and more guns. It’s important to personally explain why we need certain types of weapons,” Podoljak said. “Especially armored vehicles, the latest missile defense systems, and long-range missiles.
Zelensky’s visit was expected to last several hours.