Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky arrives for talks in Washington on Tuesday at a critical moment, as the White House warns American aid to Ukraine could imminently dry up and talks over new assistance are stalled in Congress.
The eleventh-hour invite from President Joe Biden underscores the urgency in approving the new package, worth tens billions of dollars, as he and other administration officials are warning the already-approved American aid will be exhausted by year’s end.
Biden has requested around $60 billion in new aid to Ukraine, part of a larger emergency funding package that also includes assistance for Israel and funds for border security. Republicans have sought to use the request as leverage to extract tough new rules limiting migration across the US southern border.
The hope among Biden’s team is that Zelensky can convince lawmakers, and particularly Republicans, of the necessity for more aid to replenish his war chests. Administration officials have long viewed Zelensky as his country’s most effective advocate, and he has spent the 21 months since Russia invaded in February 2022 addressing international parliaments, assemblies, summits and award shows to muster support.
Zelensky made a direct appeal for more security aid on Monday during a speech at the National Defense University in Washington, saying Russian President Vladimir Putin is seeing his “dreams come true” as delays continue in Congress.
“Every one of you here understands what it means for a soldier to wait for munition – waiting for weeks, months, without knowing if support will come at all. Every one of you with command experience knows what it means when instead of moving forward, you’re just watching, waiting for armor or equipment while your enemy is satisfied and preparing for assaults. Any of you with a son or daughter in a combat zone just wouldn’t get…
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