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Zelensky to visit US as lawmakers debate Ukraine aid

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WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:


  • Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is set to meet with the US Congress in person on Wednesday night.
  • Zelenskyy’s visit, which could still be canceled for security reasons, will mark his first international trip since Russia’s invasion began.
  • The Ukrainian leader’s trip comes as House Republicans debate against sending more US aid to Kyiv.

The US Congress could meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in person when he visits the United States on Wednesday, according to a report from Punchbowl News.

Zelenskyy’s visit would be his first international trip since Russia began its invasion of Ukraine ten months ago. The visit could still be canceled for security reasons, Punchbowl noted.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi wrote a letter highlighting Wednesday night’s “very special focus on Democracy,” urging her fellow lawmakers to come to Washington.

The Ukrainian leader’s visit comes as lawmakers debate on a $1.7 trillion federal government spending bill, which includes about $45 billion in aid to Ukraine. 

Zelenskyy is expected to meet with Congress as Republicans are poised to take over the House in early January. Ukraine has received billions in aid that helped defend against Russia’s relentless attacks, but House Republicans have repeatedly opposed continuing US aid to Ukraine over economic and spending concerns.

President Joe Biden will also reportedly announce during Zelenskyy’s visit that the US is providing Ukraine with a Patriot missile system, a senior administration official told Axios. Ukrainian troops will reportedly be trained to use it in another country before it’s transferred to Ukraine.

When Russia invaded in late February, many expected Kyiv to fall quickly and advised Zelenskyy to flee. But the Ukrainian leader held fast and stayed — a move that has been widely praised across the world.

Zelenskyy has since made several risky trips to the front lines, including one he just made on Tuesday when he traveled to the city of Bakhmut. The city has faced fierce battles as Russia tried and failed to occupy it for months.

On Tuesday, Russian President Vladimir Putin made a rare admission that the situation in Ukraine has become “extremely difficult.”

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The war has dealt heavy losses to both sides. Ukraine has come to heavily rely on aid from Western countries while Russia has resorted to old equipment and ammunition.

Source: Insider

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