White House Hosts Zelensky
According to Iran Gate, the White House hosted Zelensky as the United States announced a new military aid package worth two billion dollars for Kyiv. Volodymyr Zelensky entered the White House and was warmly welcomed by U.S. President Joe Biden. In this meeting, the Ukrainian leader appeared in military attire. Zelensky said that being in the White House is a great honor and that the war is not over. In the Oval Office, he thanked President Biden, Congress, and the American people for their support of Ukraine and presented the U.S. President with a medal featuring a star, which symbolizes military bravery, that he had received a few days earlier on the Bakhmut front.
Biden named Zelensky the Man of the Year and also acknowledged that he and his army are an inspiration. The U.S. President added, ‘We are with you and beside you. Ukrainians, with their courage, are an inspiration to the world.’
Joint Press Conference
In a press conference with Zelensky at the White House, Joe Biden stated, ‘We have reached the 300th day of the brutal and unjustified attack that Russia launched against Ukraine.’ The U.S. President assured, ‘You will never be alone.’
Biden emphasized that Americans stand up to bullies and fight for freedom. He further noted that Ukraine’s resistance has exceeded Russia’s expectations, which in itself is a defeat for Russia. The U.S. President added that the United States will support you as long as necessary. Ultimately, light will triumph over darkness, and hope will overcome despair. This year has been full of suffering, pain, and hardship for the people of Ukraine, but I want to remind you that the United States is with you and will remain with you until the end of the war.
Zelensky said, ‘I came here to express my gratitude to the Americans. This is a historic trip for the relations between the two countries. The people of Ukraine want to thank President Biden once again for his support. I am grateful to Biden for his personal efforts and acknowledge that U.S. assistance enhances and increases global security.’
Biden spoke about new weapons to aid Kyiv. He announced a new arms package worth 185 billion dollars and stated that the Patriot systems will be a crucial and vital point for Ukraine in defending itself against Russian aggression. He added, ‘I have never seen NATO and the European Union more united than today. As we all know, no European country has been attacked and invaded since World War II.’ The Ukrainian President is ready to enter negotiations and discussions for a just peace, but we all know well that Putin has no intention of ending this cruel war.
Zelensky further elaborated on what a just peace means, saying, ‘It is hard to say what a just peace is. For me, as a President, a just peace does not mean compromise and endangering the sovereignty, freedom, and territorial integrity of my country.’
He continued with a smile, ‘You might ask what will happen after the Patriots are installed. The answer is we will again request President Biden to send us more Patriots. Sorry, we are at war.’
Biden reiterated that deploying Patriots is not to escalate the war crisis but rather they are defensive systems. He added that even after defeating Putin on the battlefield, Zelensky will be ready to negotiate and talk with him. According to Zelensky, Putin, just as he has brought the lives of Ukrainians to ruin and destruction, can attack other lands as well.
A Trip to Forge Unity
There are various opinions about this meeting, but all agree on one point: President Zelensky’s trip to Washington has been defined as extremely important. According to various media outlets, including The Guardian, Mykhailo Podolyak, Zelensky’s chief advisor, stated that the Ukrainian leader’s trip to Washington refutes the claims of those who believed relations between Ukraine and the United States were cooling.
He continued, ‘In this trip, Zelensky can explain the real situation in Ukraine to his American counterpart and say what weapons Ukrainians need to fight the Russians and why.’ He concluded, ‘Without a doubt, the United States will support his country.’
Jen Psaki, the former White House spokesperson who now works for MSNBC, wrote on Twitter, ‘Expect many standing ovations during Zelensky’s speech in Congress.’ During this visit, the Ukrainian flag was flown alongside the American flag at several locations in Washington.