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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy offered President Joe Biden “all my appreciation” as the two met at the White House on Wednesday, before the wartime leader was set to address a joint meeting of Congress.
In the Oval Office meeting, Biden confirmed that the U.S. will be giving Ukraine the Patriot Missile battery the country has requested to counter Russian missile and air attacks.
Zelenskyy, who was near the front lines in Eastern Ukraine on Tuesday before making his first-known trip outside his country since the start of Russia’s invasion 10 months ago, gave Biden a military medal he said a Ukrainian soldier wanted Biden to have.
“All my appreciations from my heart, from all Ukrainians, to you, for your big support and your leadership,” Zelenskyy said, speaking in fluid, but heavily accented English. “From our ordinary people to your ordinary people … thank you so much.”
Sitting in front of a roaring fireplace with Zelenskyy at his right, Biden praised the comedian-turned-wartime leader and slammed their common enemy, Russian President Vladimir Putin.
“It’s an honor to be by your side in the united defense against what is a brutal, brutal war being waged by Putin,” the president said.
The high-profile show of support for Ukraine comes ahead of a transition of power in Washington that will put Republicans in charge of the House of Representatives, where some GOP members have expressed reservations about the billions worth of arms and aid the U.S. has sent to support Ukraine’s war effort.
And it comes as Russia looks to regroup and regain the initiative after almost a year of fighting that has often disappointed Moscow.
Ukraine is heavily reliant on American and European support as it tries to fend off its far more powerful neighbor. And as the war shifts into a prolonged grinding campaign, some analysts wonder if Washington will keep up its resolve and shipments.
Biden sought to reassure Kyiv — and warn Moscow and the world — that the U.S. was not backing down, while Zelenskyy looked to cement the partnership by taking the extraordinary risk of leaving his country to personally travel to the U.S. capital.
Zelenskyy landed at the Washington-area Joint Base Andrews, the home of Air Force One, barely more than 12 hours after the first public notice of his trip, which had been kept secret out of security concerns.
When his large motorcade of black SUVs pulled up the White House, the president and first lady Jill Biden greeted the Ukrainian president before heading inside.
Zelenskyy, wearing his now-familiar army-green casual attire, handed Biden the medal in a wooden display case, giving details about the soldier who he said wanted it delivered to Biden. Biden said he would get in touch with the soldier.
“Well, undeserved, but much appreciate it,” Biden responded, before calling his counterpart “the man of the year” in reference to the Time magazine accolade that Zelenskyy received.
Zelenskyy will meet with other administration officials before his address to Congress, where guests will not be allowed in the House gallery out of security concerns.
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