President Biden will meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the White House on Wednesday where Mr. Biden will announce that the U.S. will provide advanced Patriot surface-to-air missiles, administration officials confirmed Tuesday. In the evening, Mr. Zelenskyy will make his case before Congress as it considers the overall budget bill.
The two leaders are expected to discuss U.S. training and support to Ukraine and to focus on the way forward on the battlefield through what is expected to be a grueling winter as the Russian invasion marks 10 months.
The visit will also provide the opportunity for face-to-face meetings between the Ukrainian president and key members of Mr. Biden’s national security team and other Cabinet officials.
“President Biden will have the opportunity to reinforce that this support is not just about what we have done before, but what we will do today and what we will continue to do for as long as it takes,” a senior administration official said Tuesday evening.
“We know that in the days ahead, the conflict will continue, the official added. “The winter will be hard. And we will continue, day in and day out, to provide critical support to the Ukrainian people.”
The Patriots will be part of a $2 billion military-aid package, which comes on top of the nearly $20 billion already provided by the U.S. since the Russian invasion began in February, according to Pentagon figures.
Ukraine has long sought advanced air-defense weaponry to protect its cities from unrelenting Russian airstrikes.
U.S. officials have, until recently, been apprehensive about providing Ukraine with the Patriot air defense system over concerns that Russia may view the move as an escalation.
Fielding the sophisticated system, which is capable of targeting missiles as well as manned and unmanned aircraft, also requires significant training from U.S. personnel.
The White House said Tuesday that the U.S. will train Ukrainian forces on how to operate Patriot batteries in a third country.
Mr. Zelenskyy is also expected to address Congress on Wednesday as lawmakers consider a year-end spending package that includes $45 billion in emergency assistance to Ukraine.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi requested lawmakers’ presence for “a very special focus on Democracy Wednesday night” in a letter to her colleagues late Tuesday as news of Mr. Zelenskyy’s visit began leaking.
“We are ending a very special session of the 117th Congress with legislation that makes progress for the American people as well as support for our Democracy,” the California Democrat wrote.
Mr. Zelenskyy’s address comes amid concern that Republicans will closely scrutinize assistance to Ukraine once the GOP takes control of the House next month.
Wednesday’s visit to Washington marks Mr. Zelenskyy’s first known trip outside Ukraine since the start of the war. The Ukrainian leader had met previously with Mr. Biden at the White House in August 2021.
The two leaders have held frequent phone calls since Russia launched its invasion.
White House officials told reporters Tuesday that Mr. Biden extended a formal invitation to Mr. Zelenskyy last Wednesday. Mr. Zelenskyy accepted the invitation on Friday, and the visit was confirmed on Sunday.
The trip was not announced until the last minute due to security concerns.
“President Biden will continue to rally the world as we work to maintain the remarkable unity we’ve demonstrated over 2022,” an administration official said Tuesday.
“He will reinforce the fundamental message on this trip to President Zelenskyy directly to the Ukrainian people, the American people and the world publicly, that the United States will stand with Ukraine for as long as it takes,” the official said.
• Joseph Clark can be reached at jclark@washingtontimes.com.
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