In a significant show of support for Ukraine, US President Joe Biden announced a “surge” in assistance, including nearly $8 billion in military aid and new long-range munitions, ahead of a White House meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Thursday.
Zelenskyy responded with gratitude, emphasizing that the military aid would be crucial in bolstering Ukraine’s efforts to overcome Russia’s invasion. In a social media statement, he pledged to utilize the assistance effectively and transparently to achieve a shared objective: a victorious Ukraine and lasting peace, ensuring transatlantic security.
The announcement came at a critical moment, as Russia’s nuclear threats intensified and Zelensky engaged in a heated exchange with Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump. This rift underscores the potential risks to US support for Kyiv in its conflict with Moscow, with the outcome of the upcoming US election looming large.
While Biden highlighted the surge in security assistance for Ukraine, he didn’t address Kyiv’s request for authorization to launch US-made long-range missiles into Russia, a proposal Zelensky has been pressing for but which Biden has so far resisted. Russia has strongly warned against such a move, and President Vladimir Putin announced on Wednesday a broadening of Moscow’s nuclear weaponry usage rules, enabling a nuclear response in case of a “massive” air attack. The Kremlin framed this updated doctrine as a warning to the West.
The United States has been Ukraine’s primary military backer, and Zelensky reaffirmed his country’s commitment to using the new aid in the “most effective and transparent way possible” to achieve their shared goal: a victorious Ukraine, a just and lasting peace, and transatlantic security. However, the upcoming US election, with Biden’s Vice President Kamala Harris facing a challenge from Donald Trump, throws a shadow over the continuity of such strong support.
Trump, who was also scheduled to meet Zelensky during his US visit, has accused Zelensky of refusing to strike a deal with Moscow and questioned the US’s billions of dollars in aid to Kyiv. The meeting between Trump and Zelensky now appears to be off the table.
Biden will meet Zelensky in the Oval Office at 1:45 pm local time (1745 GMT), according to the White House. Following their meeting, both leaders will deliver remarks at 3:05 pm in the vice president’s office. Zelensky is also set to address the US Congress, following his defiant speech at the UN General Assembly on Wednesday, where he rallied international support amid an increasingly difficult situation on the battlefield.
For several weeks, Zelensky has been promoting a so-called “victory plan” that he plans to present to Biden. However, he has not provided details of his proposals to end the war, which is now in its third year.
In his final months in office, Biden also announced the convening of a high-level meeting of Ukraine allies in Germany in October, aimed at coordinating the efforts of over 50 countries supporting Ukraine’s defense against Russian aggression.
