Zelensky will meet with Biden in Washington next week | International

The president of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, will meet with the president of the United States, Joe Biden, next week in Washington after the United Nations General Assembly in New York, where both are scheduled to give a speech next Wednesday, according to US officials have pointed out

The meeting will take place at a time when the US Government is trying to reinforce support for Ukraine and that country's counteroffensive to recover territory occupied by Russia. So far, progress by Ukrainian forces has been slower than expected, although Washington insists it has made “remarkable progress,” especially in the southwest.

Zelensky's visit to Washington will be his second in nine months. The Ukrainian president, who this year also met with his American counterpart in Hiroshima (Japan) during the G-7 summit and in Lithuania during the NATO summit, already traveled to the American capital last December, for a visit in which, in addition to speaking with Biden in the White House, he addressed both chambers of Congress to request a continuous flow of weapons with which to repel the Russian invasion.

Since then, the United States has gradually given its approval to the transfer of types of weapons that would have been unthinkable at the start of the war 19 months ago. Authorized the shipment of Abrams tanks earlier this year; He later blessed other countries that gave up F-16 fighter planes; They have been followed by cluster bombs and, as announced last week, anti-tank munitions with depleted uranium.

Precisely, Zelensky's visit coincides with information that suggests that the White House is considering sending long-range tactical missile systems known by its acronym ATACMS. kyiv maintains that it needs such equipment to make significant progress against Russia.

Last week, Secretary of State Antony Blinken traveled to Kiev for a two-day visit - his third to the Ukrainian capital since the start of the war in February 2022 - in a gesture of support for Zelensky's government. Washington, the head of US diplomacy insisted, will support Ukraine with everything necessary for as long as it takes.

But despite messages of good will from the US government, US public support for the war is declining. Several Republican candidates for the White House in next year's November elections, including the favorite to win the party's nomination, former President Donald Trump, have been skeptical about the war and willing to cut economic and military support to Kiev.

Biden has asked Congress to approve a new aid package for Ukraine, which includes $13.1 billion in military assistance and $8.5 billion in humanitarian assistance. But the most conservative members of Congress, especially in the House of Representatives, demand cuts in federal spending. Some have precisely the aid items for kyiv in their sights.

In his in-person address to the UN General Assembly, Zelensky plans to appeal to countries for greater support for Kiev, and try to convince governments skeptical of the conflict to adopt stronger positions condemning the war. . During his stay in the United States, he plans to meet with various international leaders, including Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli government has announced.

In Washington, according to the digital Punchbowl News, he will visit the Capitol again, although this time he will not address the two chambers. Instead, he will meet individually with lawmakers.

Follow all the international information on Facebook and Twitteror in our weekly newsletter.