Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is expected in the US capital Washington today, Wednesday, for his first trip abroad since the start of the Russian offensive war. The US government confirmed reports. In Washington, Selenskyj is received by US President Joe Biden in the White House and addresses the US Congress. He’s already on his way, Selenskyj said.
“I am on my way to the United States to strengthen Ukraine’s resilience and defense capabilities,” Zelenskyy wrote on his Twitter account (see below).
Defense system for Ukraine
According to the information, Biden intends to announce at the meeting that the United States will supply the Patriot air defense system to Ukraine. Zelenskyi has not left his country since the start of the war on February 24. For performances on the political world stage, he always connected digitally from Ukraine. The Ukrainian president has traveled to the battlefield several times – unlike Russian President Vladimir Putin, who has not been to the front once.
According to the White House, Biden and Zelenskyj first discussed a possible visit during a phone call in mid-December. An official invitation followed later. The Ukrainian president has a packed program during his visit to the American capital. Biden and Zelenskyj are planning a joint press conference. On Wednesday evening (local time), Zelenskyj will address the US Congress. He will then begin his journey home, it was said.
billions in military aid
The US has provided Ukraine with billions in military aid since the start of the war. Biden will announce another nearly $2 billion military aid package on Wednesday, a senior US administration official said. This will also include the Patriot anti-aircraft system. The announcement comes as no surprise. Recently, there have been reports that the US government is considering such a delivery.
According to experts, the Patriot air defense system is likely to reshuffle the cards in Russia-attacked Ukraine. It can even repel aircraft, cruise missiles, drones or missiles at a greater distance. The senior US official said Ukraine’s armed forces were being trained in a third country. He gave no further information about this. It is obvious and probable that Ukrainians – as is already the case with other weapon systems – will be trained in Germany, for example at the Grafenwöhr military training ground in Bavaria.
Moscow recently warned Washington about a delivery by the Patriot. Like other heavy weapons, these complexes would become “legitimate priority targets” for Russian troops, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said in Moscow last week. The US government is already supplying several HIMARS missile launchers and the NASAMS air defense system to Ukraine.
“Message to Putin”
“We are not looking for a direct war with Russia,” the US official said. And that will not change with Zelenskyj’s visit and the delivery of the Patriot battery. “It’s about sending a message to Putin and the world that America will be there for Ukraine as long as it takes.” The visit is also a good opportunity for the Ukrainian president to reach out to the American people.
On Tuesday, Republicans and Democrats in the US Congress agreed on a draft budget that also includes billions in military aid. The package with a size of 1.7 trillion dollars (1.6 trillion euros) contains 44.9 billion dollars (42.3 billion euros) in aid for Ukraine. However, the Senate and House of Representatives still have to vote on the draft.
Source: Krone
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