Washington:
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky met Joe Biden on the White House Thursday to current his wartime “victory plan,” after the US president introduced an $8 billion surge in navy help for Kyiv’s battle towards Russia.
But Zelensky’s go to was clouded by a blazing row with Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump that underscored how November’s US election may upend the assist that Kyiv receives from its largest backer.
“Russia is not going to prevail. Ukraine will prevail, and we’ll proceed to face by you each step of the best way,” Biden mentioned as he hosted Zelensky within the Oval Office, after thanking him for presenting the so-called victory plan.
Dressed in his trademark military-style outfit, Zelensky replied that “we deeply admire that Ukraine and America have stood aspect by aspect.”
Zelensky is seeking to shore up assist for his conflict effort similtaneously Biden tries to lock in help for Ukraine, forward of the white-knuckle vote pitting Biden’s Vice President Kamala Harris towards firebrand Trump.
The Democrat pledged almost $8 billion in navy help in his announcement on Thursday, together with $5.5 billion to be approved earlier than it expires on the finish of the US fiscal yr on Monday.
Biden mentioned in an announcement that the “surge in safety help for Ukraine” would “assist Ukraine win this conflict.”
Biden additionally introduced Washington would offer Ukraine with the Joint Standoff Weapon (JSOW) long-range munition and known as a summit of allies in Germany in October.
The White House nevertheless performed down Ukraine’s hopes that Zelensky’s go to would obtain his long-held objective of getting permission to fireside long-range Western-made missiles into Russian territory.
“I’m not anticipating there to be any new bulletins on this specific motion or a call popping out of this assembly,” Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre advised reporters.
Harris was attributable to meet Zelensky individually on the White House on Thursday.
Zelensky additionally visited the US Congress — the place his authorities mentioned he had additionally offered his victory plan — and gave a defiant handle on the UN General Assembly on Wednesday.
– ‘Greatest salesman on earth’ –
But Zelensky’s go to has prompted recent nuclear saber rattling from Moscow, which has repeatedly warned the West towards giving Ukraine long-range arms.
President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday introduced plans to broaden Moscow’s guidelines on using its atomic weaponry within the occasion of a “huge” air assault.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken known as the nuclear risk “completely irresponsible” whereas EU international coverage spokesman Peter Stano mentioned Putin was making a “gamble along with his nuclear arsenal.”
Kyiv faces an more and more troublesome battlefield state of affairs two and a half years into Russia’s invasion, with Russian forces persevering with to push into jap Ukraine.
But the US presidential election means Washington’s assist now hangs on the steadiness — and with Zelensky apparently at odds with Trump and the Republicans.
Trump had additionally been attributable to meet Zelensky throughout his US go to, however their talks now look like on ice.
Trump accused Zelensky on the eve of the go to of refusing to strike a cope with Moscow and as soon as once more questioned why the United States was giving billions of {dollars} to Kyiv.
At an election rally on Wednesday, the Republican known as the Ukrainian president “in all probability the best salesman on Earth.”
Republicans had been furious after Zelensky visited an arms manufacturing facility in Biden’s hometown within the battleground state of Pennsylvania earlier this week, with House Speaker Mike Johnson calling for the Ukrainian ambassador to be sacked.
Zelensky additionally sparked fury in Republican ranks when he advised The New Yorker journal this week that Trump and his working mate J.D. Vance didn’t perceive the conflict’s complexity.
Trump has echoed lots of Putin’s speaking factors about earlier US coverage being responsible for the Russian invasion, and has been crucial of Zelensky for years.
The United States has offered round $175 billion in each navy and financial help to Ukraine through the conflict, regardless of frequent opposition from Republicans.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV workers and is printed from a syndicated feed.)