Volodymyr Zelensky to visit White House, may address congress

The Ukraine President will visit the White House on Wednesday in his first trip abroad since the Russian invasion began.

Joe Biden, right, meets with Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky in the Oval Office of the White House in 2021. Picture: AFP

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky was to visit Washington overnight on Wednesday for a meeting with US President Joe Biden and an address to congress.

The White House said Mr Zelensky’s first trip abroad since Russia invaded on February 24 would send Moscow a strong message of Western unity.

That trip came as Russian President Vladimir Putin planned to meet senior military officials on Wednesday night to weigh the results so far of Russia’s war and set goals for next year after a series of battlefield defeats.

Mr Zelensky’s visit includes a meeting with Mr Biden in the White House for an announcement of a fresh package of military aid for Ukraine, including the advanced Patriot batteries to help defend against Russia’s brutal missile attacks.

“On my way to the US to strengthen resilience and defense capabilities of (Ukraine),” Mr Zelensky tweeted.

The visit was subject to security concerns. House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi told members of congress in a letter that they should be in attendance on Wednesday night (Thursday AEDT) “for a very special focus on democracy”.

She said a visit by a “total hero” like Mr Zelensky would “bring honour to the congress of the United States”. In battling Mr Putin, the Ukrainian people “are fighting for democracy for all of us”, she said. Mr Zelensky’s appeal to congress in March that included video footage of the war-torn country pushed members to tears and garnered a standing ovation from both parties.

Mr Zelensky, who has led without rest for 10 months of brutal war with invading Russian forces, has spoken frequently to leaders and supporters around the world, but only by phone and video conference. His trip acknowledges that the US has been the most important supporter of the war effort, already providing an estimated $US50bn ($75bn) in total aid, including some $20bn in security assistance. British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has announced a new $US304m package of military aid to bolster Ukraine’s counteroffensive against Russia. The package includes “hundreds of thousands of rounds of artillery” and aims to ensure “a constant flow of critical artillery ammunition to Ukraine throughout 2023”, Downing Street said on Monday.

Mr Zelensky’s trip to the US comes after Mr Putin made a visit to Belarus on Monday, stoking Ukraine worries that Russian forces could open a new attack from the north. Belarus was the launch site of the February assault on Kyiv, which was rebuffed by Ukraine forces in an extraordinary defeat for Moscow’s forces in the opening weeks of the war.

On Tuesday, Mr Zelensky, 44, visited Ukrainian troops in Bakhmut, now the epicentre of fighting, where he described the war-battered city as a frontline “fortress”.

Brutal trench warfare and artillery battles around Bakhmut – once known for its vineyards and salt mines – have flattened large portions of the city and its surroundings. “Here in Donbas, you’re protecting all of Ukraine … They will do everything they’ve done here in other towns of our country, because they don’t want anything Ukrainian to exist, I’m sure of that,” Mr Zelensky told his troops. “This is not just Bakhmut, this is fortress Bakhmut”

Soldiers gave Mr Zelensky a Ukrainian flag with their names signed on it to give it to Mr Biden and congress. Mr Zelensky said they told him: “We have a difficult situation, the enemy is increasing their numbers. Our guys are braver but we need more weapons.”

Ukrainians have endured intensifying Russian attacks on the country’s infrastructure over the past two months. With severe winter conditions setting in, missile and drone strikes have plunged cities around the country into darkness, and severed water and heat supplies to millions of Ukrainians. The US and European allies have rushed generators to the country in support, as well as extensive air defence systems needed to shoot down incoming rockets. Patriot missiles could also defend Ukraine against short-range ballistic missiles, which Russia is seeking from Iran for the war, according to Western officials.

AFP