Volodymyr Zelenskyy heads to US for first overseas visit since Russia invaded Ukraine
21 December 2022, 08:02 | Updated: 21 December 2022, 08:12
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy is on his way to the US to meet Joe Biden, in his first trip abroad since Russia's invasion in February.
Listen to this article
Loading audio...
The US is expected to announce further support for Ukraine, including more surface-to-air missiles and precision-guided bombs for fighter jets, as part of an overall £1.5 billion aid package.
A spokesperson for Mr Zelenskyy said on Wednesday morning that the president "will discuss comprehensive cooperation between the two countries, in particular with regard to strengthening the resilience and defense capabilities of Ukraine, supporting its sovereignty and restoring territorial integrity."
He is also expected to make a speech to Congress, as politicians debate a much larger aid package.
Mr Zelenskyy headed abroad after making a dangerous trip on Tuesday to what he called the hottest spot on the 800-mile front line of the conflict, the city of Bakhmut in Ukraine's contested Donetsk province.
He praised Ukrainian troops for their "courage, resilience and strength" as artillery boomed in the background.
Read more: Russia launches 'massive' missile attack on multiple cities across Ukraine
In a statement on Tuesday night, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Mr Biden looks forward to the visit and that the address to Congress will demonstrate "the strong, bipartisan support for Ukraine".
Edward Lucas says the West's efforts to help Ukraine has been a 'huge' failure from the start.
"The visit will underscore the United States' steadfast commitment to supporting Ukraine for as long as it takes, including through the provision of economic, humanitarian, and military assistance," she said.
It comes after ten months of a brutal war that has seen tens of thousands killed and wounded on both sides, along with devastation for Ukrainian civilians.
Russia has been bombarding Kyiv and other major cities in recent weeks, destroying key infrastructure and depriving many of electricity for days at a time.
US politicians are set to vote on a year-end spending package that includes about 45 billion dollars £36.9 billion in emergency help to Ukraine.
This would be the biggest American aid package yet to Ukraine - even more than Mr Biden's £30.4 billion emergency request - and is meant to ensure that support flows to the war effort for months to come.
