President Volodymyr Zelensky will visit the White House on Sept. 26 to discuss Russia's war against Ukraine with U.S. President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris.
"The leaders will discuss the state of the war between Russia and Ukraine, including Ukraine’s strategic planning and U.S. support for Ukraine in its defense against Russian aggression," White House spokesperson Karine Jean-Pierre said in a statement.
Zelensky is heading to the U.S. to attend the 79th U.N. General Assembly in New York and present a five-point victory plan to the American leadership. U.S. officials said they had been acquainted with elements of Zelensky's strategy and voiced belief "that (it) can work."
Biden, who sat in the White House throughout the full-scale war and played a key role in building the pro-Kyiv coalition, will leave office next January. While positioning Washington as Ukraine's leading military donor, the Biden administration has attracted criticism over its careful and piecemeal approach to providing aid.
Kyiv has increasingly criticized its partners in recent weeks, saying that despite the $61 billion U.S. aid bill being passed in April, the assistance is trickling down too slowly and is not enough to equip even "four out of the 14 brigades" the country is mustering.
Ukraine is also still expecting a decision on long-range strikes in Russia with Western arms, something that Washington has been reluctant to approve.
Early next year, Biden will pass over the keys from the White House either to Democratic candidate Harris or her Republican challenger, Donald Trump. Former President Trump said he would "probably" meet with Zelensky next week, as the Ukrainian leader said he wants to present the victory plan to him as well.
Trump's possible return to the White House is causing concern in Ukraine. The pro-Trump wing of the Republican Party blocked the U.S. aid bill in Congress for months earlier this year, which proved detrimental to the situation on the Ukrainian battlefields and contributed to the loss of a key city of Avdiivka.
Statements and rumors coming from Trump's inner circle also suggest he might seek to pressure Ukraine to cede territory or give up its NATO aspirations to achieve a quicker resolution of the war.
The ex-president has repeatedly said he would end the war within "24 hours if reelected" and evaded a question about whether he wants Ukraine to win during a recent debate with Harris.
Chris York
