“WIN THIS WAR”
Zelenskyy is looking to shore up support for his war effort as Biden tries to lock in aid for Ukraine, ahead of the white-knuckle US election on Nov 5.
Biden pledged nearly US$8 billion in military aid on Thursday, including US$5.5 billion to be authorized before it expires at the end of the US fiscal year on Monday.
Biden said in a statement that the “surge in security assistance for Ukraine” would “help Ukraine win this war”.
Biden also announced Washington would provide Ukraine with the Joint Standoff Weapon long-range munition and called a summit of allies in Germany in October.
The White House however played down Ukraine’s hopes that Zelenskyy’s visit would achieve his long-held goal of getting permission to fire long-range Western-made missiles into Russian territory.
“I’m not expecting there to be any new announcements on this particular action or a decision coming out of this meeting,” Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters.
Zelenskyy also visited the US Congress – where his government said he had also presented his victory plan – and gave a defiant address at the UN General Assembly on Wednesday.
But Zelenskyy’s visit has prompted fresh nuclear sabre rattling from Moscow, which has repeatedly warned the West against giving Ukraine long-range arms.
