Vice President Kamala Harris promised Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky that the United States would support his country until it could “secure a just and lasting peace” with Russia.
Harris addressed the Munich Security Conference on Saturday after meeting with Zelensky. Ukraine is approaching the second anniversary of Russia’s invasion and the subsequent war that broke out.
“President Zelensky, as President Joe Biden and I have made clear, we will be with you for as long as it takes,” Harris said.
The vice president applauded Ukraine for fighting back against Russian forces, which have suffered 300,000 casualties, or about 80% of the force, despite Russia having “an economy 10 times larger than Ukraine, a population three times larger, and a military that once ranked as the second-best in the world.”
“As we move forward, President Biden and I will continue to work to secure the resources and weapons that you need to succeed,” Harris said. “We will also continue to support your efforts to secure a just and lasting peace. We will work to make sure Russia pays damages to Ukraine. Ultimately, we want to see Ukraine emerge from this war as a nation that is free, democratic, and independent.”
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Harris’s remarks come as the Senate passed a bill surrounding aid to Ukraine, which includes $8 billion in “direct budget support” for the Ukrainian government, $14 billion for weapon purchases, $15 billion for military services, plus $10 billion in humanitarian aid that will be shared between Ukraine and Gaza, among other war zones.
Next, the bill will go through the Republican-controlled House, where Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) has signaled that it will not pass. However, since the death of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, Johnson changed his tune to suggest that the U.S. use “every means available to cut off Putin’s ability to fund his unprovoked war.”
