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 to 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 it is a great honor to be at the White House and that the war is not over. In the Oval Office, he thanked President Biden, Congress, and Americans for their support of Ukraine and presented the U.S. President with a medal featuring a star, a symbol of military bravery, which 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 inspiring. The U.S. President added, ‘We are with you and beside you. Ukrainians inspire the world with their courage.’
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 considered a defeat for Russia. The U.S. President added, ‘The United States will support you for as long as it takes. Ultimately, light will triumph over darkness, and hope will overcome despair. This year has been full of suffering 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 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, announcing a new arms package worth $185 billion and stating that 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 for a just peace, but we all know well that Putin has no intention of ending this cruel war.
Zelensky further provided a clear and precise explanation about just peace, saying, ‘It is hard to say what just peace is. For me, as a president, 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 once again request President Biden to send us more Patriots. I’m sorry, we are at war.’
Biden reiterated that deploying Patriots is not to escalate the war crisis but that they are defensive systems. He added, ‘Even after defeating Putin on the battlefield, Zelensky will be ready to negotiate and talk with him. In Zelensky’s belief, Putin, who has dragged the lives of Ukrainians into ruin and devastation, could also attack other lands.’
A Journey to Build Unity
There are various opinions about this meeting, but everyone agrees on one point: President Zelensky’s trip to Washington has been defined as extremely important. According to various media, including The Guardian, Mykhailo Podolyak, Zelensky’s chief advisor, announced that the Ukrainian leader’s trip to Washington refutes the claims of all those who believed that relations between Ukraine and the United States were cooling.
He continued, ‘In this trip, Zelensky can explain the real situation of Ukraine to his American counterpart and say what weapons Ukrainians need to fight the Russians and why.’ He concluded that without a doubt, the United States will support his country.
Jen Psaki, 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, Ukrainian flags were hoisted alongside American flags at several points in Washington.
