Zelensky to Meet Biden and Address Congress on the 21st... First Visit to the U.S. Since the Outbreak

"Speech at US Congress Invited by Pelosi"

[Asia Economy Reporter Yujin Cho] Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will visit the United States for the first time since the outbreak of the Ukraine war in February. Attention is focused on whether the U.S. government will formalize its plan to send the Patriot missile defense system to Ukraine during this visit.

According to U.S. political media Axios and CNN, President Zelenskyy is scheduled to meet with U.S. President Joe Biden at the White House in Washington on the 21st (local time). This is Zelenskyy’s first visit to another country since Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24, and also his first visit to the U.S. since Biden took office.

President Zelenskyy is also expected to attend and deliver a speech at a House of Representatives session held in the U.S. Congress that evening. Regarding this, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi wrote in a letter to lawmakers, urging them to "attend the Wednesday evening session in person" and to "take part in a meeting with a special focus on democracy."

At this event, President Zelenskyy is expected to request continued bipartisan security support for Ukraine. On the same day, Democrats and Republicans agreed on a $1.7 trillion (approximately 2,200 trillion KRW) fiscal year 2023 budget bill that includes $44.9 billion in aid to Ukraine. However, with the Republicans becoming the majority party in the House starting January next year and having expressed a policy against open-ended support for Ukraine, concerns have been raised about a possible reduction in military aid to Ukraine.

Details regarding this visit have not yet been finalized, but Axios, citing sources, reported that the U.S. Capitol Police are enhancing security for President Zelenskyy’s visit on the 21st. CNN also reported that Zelenskyy’s schedule in the U.S. could change due to security and other issues.

[Image source=UPI Yonhap News]

Foreign media are paying close attention to whether the U.S. government will announce plans to support Ukraine with the Patriot missile system during President Zelenskyy’s visit.

Earlier, major U.S. media outlets reported that the U.S. government is finalizing procedures to provide Ukraine with the Patriot missile system, the most advanced weapon it has supplied so far. CNN reported that once the final approval is signed by U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and President Biden, the Patriot system is expected to be sent to Ukraine within days.

Ukraine has requested an advanced long-range air defense system from the U.S. in response to Russia’s concentrated attacks on its energy infrastructure since October using missiles and Iranian-made suicide drones.

The Patriot is a surface-to-air missile system designed to intercept short-range ballistic missiles, advanced aircraft, and cruise missiles, and is expected to be the most advanced weapon the U.S. has sent to Ukraine since the war began in February.

On the same day, Russian President Vladimir Putin chaired a Defense Ministry meeting to set military goals for next year, and with the possibility of Belarusian troops joining the conflict, the war in Ukraine could escalate. It is anticipated that a comprehensive discussion on the Ukraine war will also take place during the meeting between the two leaders.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.