Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky will visit the White House and Congress this week as the Senate stalls on passing Ukraine aid.
The White House announced Zelensky will visit with President Joe Biden Tuesday for a meeting to “underscore the United States’ unshakeable commitment” to supporting Ukraine in its ongoing war against Russia.
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“As Russia ramps up its missile and drone strikes against Ukraine, the leaders will discuss Ukraine’s urgent needs and the vital importance of the United States’ continued support at this critical moment,” White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said in a statement on Sunday.
The Washington Examiner confirmed that Zelensky will also be at the U.S. Capitol for an all-senators meeting on Tuesday.
“Speaker Johnson will meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the U.S. Capitol on Tuesday,” Raj Shah, spokesperson for House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA), said in a post on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter.
Zelensky’s visit to Washington, D.C., comes after the Senate voted against advancing a $111 billion foreign spending package over a standoff on a border deal. The package would have included aid for Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan, as requested by the Biden administration.
GOP leadership had whipped members to oppose advancing the foreign aid package without a border agreement in place. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) said he hoped the vote would “make the point, for the final time, that we insist on meaningful changes to the border.”
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) said the vote’s failure would “not be a bipartisan failure.”
“It will be a failure solely caused by the Republican Party and the Republican leadership because it was a decision of that Republican leadership, pushed by the hard Right, many of whom want Ukraine to fail, to make border [aid] a precondition to supporting Ukraine,” the Senate’s top Democrat said.
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However, the vote does not mean that Biden’s request for aid is dead. Sen. Chris Coons (D-DE) said, “This is a moment where each caucus is sending a signal to the other.”
Johnson has said that any future increase in Ukraine aid would be “dependent” on stricter security policies at the southern border.
