Ukrainian President Engages in Friendly and Candid Discussion with U.S. Senators

During his official visit to the United States on Tuesday, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky met with American senators, urging them to approve additional funding for Ukraine, which he stressed is crucial. He communicated this information via social media.

President Zelensky described the meeting with U.S. senators as 'friendly and candid.' He added that he briefed American senators on the military and economic situation in Ukraine and underscored the importance of continued support from the U.S.

"Grateful to Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Republican Leader Mitch McConnell for their personal leadership in rallying bipartisan support for Ukraine among American legislators," reported Zelensky.

He noted that this meeting is a significant affirmation of support for Ukraine in its struggle for independence, freedom, and democracy. The discussion also touched upon the importance of strengthening Ukraine's air defence capabilities to reduce Russia's aerial capabilities and protect civilian populations, critical infrastructure, and grain facilities.

Earlier, the Ukrainian President emphasized that he would leverage meetings with members of the U.S. Congress and President Joe Biden to convince the United States of the necessity of new assistance to Ukraine in countering Russian military aggression. He specified that he would discuss "what results we can achieve next year, based on our achievements this year."

In turn, White House National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby informed journalists that Biden would receive updated information from Zelensky on the situation on the battlefield in Ukraine and "make it clear to President Zelensky and the Ukrainian people that we intend to continue supporting them, especially in this very difficult time."

Kirby added that Biden would clarify his opinion on "why additional funding for Ukraine and Israel is crucial for our own national security interests at this time."

Recall that Biden appealed to the U.S. Congress to allocate $110 billion in funding for Ukraine and Israel during wartime, along with other priorities for national security. Ukraine is expected to receive over $61 billion from this allocation. However, Republican senators in the U.S. Senate rejected this legislation, stating that serious changes are needed in U.S. border security.