MOSCOW (dpa-AFX) - Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will hold a series of discussions with U.S. President Joe Biden and with some key officials at the White House Tuesday.
Announcing this, NSC Coordinator For Strategic Communications John Kirby said, 'It's a chance for the President to get an update from President Zelenskyy about how things are going on the battlefront, but also to make it very clear to President Zelenskyy and the Ukrainian people that we're going to continue to support them, particularly at this very difficult time.'
Addressing the media aboard Air Force One en route Philadelphia, he said that as winter approaches, the Russian Armed Forces have increased missile and drone attacks against Ukraine's civilian infrastructure. Washington expects that the attacks will continue, particularly against energy infrastructure, mainly in the East.
Kirby said President Biden will brief Tuesday about the negotiations on Capitol Hill about his supplemental request for funding Ukraine.
'He'll continue to make clear his case for why additional funding for Ukraine and Israel are vital to our own national security interests at this time.'
Biden is scheduled to hold a joint press conference with his Ukrainian counterpart at 4:15 PM ET following their meeting.
Republicans defeated a foreign aid Bill for Ukraine in the Senate last week in protest against the package's lack of changes to border and immigration policy.
Out of the $110 billion foreign assistance package for Ukraine, Israel and Gaza, $61 billion was earmarked for Ukraine.
On Monday, the Ukrainian President addressed the National Defense University in Washington.
Zelenskyy said that Russia's fight against Ukraine is really a fight against a free and united Europe.
Russian President Vladimir Putin is looking for allies who are susceptible to his ideology, even in America, according to the Ukrainian leader. 'His weapon against you right now is propaganda and disinformation.'
Zelenskyy said that Putin's aim isn't just the takeover and destruction of Ukraine. He will wage a global war on freedom.
Delivering introductory remarks at the event, U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said Washington's commitment to supporting Ukraine against Russian aggression is unshakable.
The United States has committed more than $44 billion in security assistance to Ukraine so far, and led a coalition of some 50 countries, who have contributed more than $37 billion in security assistance to the war-ravaged nation.
Austin claimed that the capabilities from the coalition are making a crucial difference on the battlefield. Ukraine has taken back more than half of the territory grabbed by Russia since February 2022.
The Russian military had been badly weakened, according to the U.S. Defense chief.
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