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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Saturday he will meet U.S. President Donald Trump in Washington on Monday, following Trump’s summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin, which produced no agreement to end the war in Ukraine. Zelenskyy said he had a “long and substantive” conversation with Trump on Saturday after the U.S. leader met Putin in Alaska. He thanked Trump for the invitation to meet in person and said the two leaders would “discuss all of the details regarding ending the killing and the war.” Highlighting Europe’s role, Zelenskyy said, “It is important that Europeans are involved at every stage to ensure reliable security guarantees together with America. We also discussed positive signals from the American side regarding participation in guaranteeing Ukraine’s security.” Zelenskyy spoke to Trump one-on-one, followed by a call with other European leaders. The discussions lasted about an hour and a half. The US-Russia summit in Alaska saw Trump welcome Putin, but ended without tangible progress on ending the war. Trump said, “there’s no deal until there’s a deal,” after Putin claimed the two leaders had reached an “understanding” on Ukraine and warned Europe not to “torpedo the nascent progress.” Trump leaves Alaska summit with Putin without a Ukraine peace deal Before leaving Alaska, Trump told Fox News Channel that the responsibility might fall on Zelenskyy “to get it done,” while also acknowledging European involvement. After returning to Washington, Trump spoke with NATO leaders following his call with Zelenskyy but did not speak to reporters. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed the discussions included German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, French President Emmanuel Macron, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Finnish President Alexander Stubb, Polish President Karol Nawrocki, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, and NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg. European leaders, who were not part of Friday’s summit, had no immediate comment. Meanwhile, Russian attacks on Ukraine continued overnight. Ukraine’s Air Force reported one ballistic missile and 85 Shahed drones were launched, 61 of which were intercepted. Front-line areas in Sumy, Dnipropetrovsk, Donetsk and Chernihiv came under attack.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will visit Berlin on Wednesday for talks with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, European leaders and U.S. officials ahead of the Trump-Putin summit later this week, the German government said. Merz has convened a series of virtual meetings aimed at ensuring European and Ukrainian voices are heard before the summit, from which they have been excluded. Zelenskyy will first meet European leaders, followed by a virtual call with U.S. President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance. EU urges Trump to protect European security in upcoming talks with Putin A separate call with members of the “coalition of the willing” — nations ready to help enforce any future Moscow-Kyiv peace deal — will take place last. Merz pledged to assist Ukraine in developing its own long-range missile systems without Western-imposed restrictions, as Kyiv continues to resist Russia’s invasion. Zelenskyy last visited Berlin in May. Trump has described Friday’s meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin as “a feel-out” session to assess Moscow’s intentions. However, he has unsettled European allies by suggesting Ukraine may have to cede some Russian-held territory and by raising the possibility of land swaps. Zelenskyy rejects Putin’s demand for Ukraine’s withdrawal from Donetsk as ceasefire condition Zelenskyy on Tuesday rejected a proposal for Ukraine to withdraw from the remaining 30% of Donetsk region it still controls, calling it unconstitutional and a potential prelude to further Russian aggression. He criticised U.S.-led diplomacy for failing to address key Ukrainian demands, including security guarantees and European participation in talks. Since returning to office, Trump has ruled out Ukraine’s NATO membership, pressed NATO allies on defence spending, and raised EU import tariffs to 15%. Senior EU officials believe he may settle for a ceasefire, focusing instead on broader U.S.-Russia relations.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has appointed former economy minister Yulia Svyrydenko as the country’s new prime minister, marking a key leadership shift aimed at boosting Ukraine’s defense and diplomacy amid the ongoing war with Russia. Svyrydenko, 39, becomes the first new head of government since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in 2022. She has played a prominent role in Ukraine’s international negotiations, including leading a recent mineral partnership deal with the United States — a move seen as crucial in aligning U.S. economic interests with Ukraine’s long-term security. US selling weapons to NATO allies for Ukraine support The appointment comes just days after a major U.S. weapons deal was announced, with support from President Donald Trump. In her first remarks after parliamentary approval, Svyrydenko emphasized urgency. “War leaves no room for delay,” she said on X. “Our top priorities are ensuring army supply lines, expanding domestic weapons production, and strengthening our defense technology.” Outgoing prime minister Denys Shmyhal will now serve as Ukraine’s defense minister, replacing Rustem Umerov, whose tenure was criticized for inefficiency despite efforts at reform. Shmyhal, who led the government since March 2020, was Ukraine’s longest-serving prime minister. The reshuffle is part of a broader leadership update, though Zelenskyy is largely retaining his core team. He also named former European integration minister Olga Stefanishyna as special representative for U.S. cooperation and nominated her to be Ukraine’s next ambassador to Washington, replacing Oksana Markarova. Trump envoy visits Kyiv as US pledges Patriot missiles to Ukraine Zelenskyy acknowledged the difficulty of maintaining global focus on Ukraine amid rising international conflicts. “We all want peace,” he said in a speech to parliament. “But the world’s attention is scattered. Ukraine must rely more on its own strength.”  Source: Agency 

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Friday that his country is committed to ending the war with Russia but he urged dozens of European leaders to ramp up sanctions if President Vladimir Putin continues to play for time in talks aimed at securing a truce. Russia and Ukraine were holding their first direct peace talks in three years, in the Turkish port city of Istanbul, but officials and observers expected them to yield little immediate progress on stopping the more than three-year war, AP reports.  Russia-Ukraine war is top of the agenda as European leaders meet in Albania on security concerns “Ukraine is ready to take all realistic steps to end this war,” Zelenskyy told leaders gathered for a summit of the European Political Community. But he warned: “If it turns out that the Russian delegation really is just theatrical and can’t deliver any results today, the world must respond.” That reaction, he said, should include "sanctions against Russia’s energy sector and banks.” British Prime Minister Keir Starmer backed his call, saying in a summit speech that “Russia is dragging its feet and playing games.” “We must be prepared to follow through because if Russia won’t come to the negotiating table, Putin must pay the price,” he said, at the summit in the Albanian capital, Tirana. Zelenskyy's remarks came after Putin declined to attend face-to-face talks. “I think Putin made a mistake by sending a low level delegation,” NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte said as he arrived for the summit under a steady drizzle. “The ball is clearly in his part of the field now, in his court. He has to play ball. He has to be serious about wanting peace," Rutte added. European Union foreign chief Kaja Kallas said Putin was “playing games, which shows that they are not serious about peace.” European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said it was clear that “President Zelenskyy was ready to meet but President Putin never showed up, and this shows his true belief. So we will increase the pressure.” Von der Leyen said the EU is preparing a new package of sanctions. She said that the measures will target the shadow fleet of aging cargo vessels that Russia is using to bypass international sanctions and the Nord Stream pipeline consortium. Russia’s financial sector would also be targeted, she said. EU envoys have been working on the new sanctions package for several weeks, and the bloc’s foreign ministers could enact them as soon as Tuesday.  Delegations from Russia and Ukraine are set to hold their first peace talks in 3 years Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni stressed that efforts to reach a deal on Ukraine must continue. “I think ... that we must not throw in the towel. I think we must insist, we must insist for an unconditional ceasefire and a serious peace agreement that includes guarantees of security for Ukraine,” she said.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy joined the leaders of dozens of European countries and organizations for a one-day summit in Albania's capital Friday to discuss security and defense challenges across the continent, with Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine at the top of the agenda. On the eve of the summit in Tirana, Russian President Vladimir Putin spurned an offer by Zelenskyy to meet face-to-face in Turkey to try to secure a ceasefire with Moscow, sending a low-level delegation instead. European leaders criticize Putin's decision not to met Zelenskyy “I think Putin made a mistake by sending a low level delegation,” NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte said as he arrived for the summit under a steady drizzle. “The ball is clearly in his part of the field now, in his court. He has to play ball. He has to be serious about wanting peace. So I think all the pressure is now on Putin,” Rutte added. Zelenskyy did not make any comments as he arrived for the summit, walking with Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama along the red carpet past the gathered media. European Union foreign chief Kaja Kallas said Putin was “playing games, which shows that they are not serious about peace.” European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said it was clear that “President Zelenskyy was ready to meet but President Putin never showed up, and this shows his true belief. So we will increase the pressure.” Von der Leyen said the EU is preparing a new package of sanctions. She said that the measures will target the shadow fleet of aging cargo vessels that Russia is using to bypass international sanctions and the Nord Stream pipeline consortium. Russia’s financial sector would also be targeted, she said. EU envoys have been working on the new sanctions package for several weeks, and the bloc’s foreign ministers could enact them as soon as Tuesday. Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni stressed that efforts to reach a deal on Ukraine must continue. Delegations from Russia and Ukraine are set to hold their first peace talks in 3 years “I think ... that we must not throw in the towel. I think we must insist, we must insist for an unconditional ceasefire and a serious peace agreement that includes guarantees of security for Ukraine,” she said. The spurning of the offer for direct talks with Zelenskyy “is clear evidence that Putin doesn’t seriously want peace. He’s dragging his heels,” said U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer. “And that’s why today is a really important opportunity, to work with colleagues to make sure that we are absolutely united.” Summit a chance for bilateral meetings The theme of the European Political Community, or EPC, summit in Tirana is “New Europe in a new world: unity — cooperation — joint action.” The gathering of leaders from about 50 nations and organizations will also address ways to improve the continent’s competitiveness and tackle unauthorized migration. But the EPC will also be a setting for leaders to meet bilaterally, or in small groups, to weigh in on major security issues. The inaugural summit in Prague in 2022 saw the leaders of Azerbaijan and Armenia holding rare talks in an effort to ease tensions between the longtime adversaries. Last weekend, Zelenskyy hosted French President Emmanuel Macron, Starmer, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk in Kyiv, where they made a joint call for a 30-day end to hostilities. “As Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine continues, its consequences stretch far beyond Ukraine’s borders, straining our security and testing our collective resilience,” Albania's Rama and European Council President António Costa wrote in their EPC summit invitation letter. The last summit, hosted by Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, an ardent supporter of U.S. President Donald Trump, was dominated by the concerns and opportunities that might arise in the wake of Trump's reelection. The leaders arrived in Tirana’s central Skanderbeg Square on a rainy morning and were to be greeted by a brief performance by dancers in folk costumes before heading into the temporary conference hall, set up at the foot of a monument to Albania's national hero Gjergj Kastrioti Skenderbeu, or Skanderbeg, who fought against the Ottoman Empire. Albania hosts a major summit days after election Rama's governing Socialist Party won Albania’s May 11 parliamentary election, attracting voters who support the country’s long and somewhat uphill effort to join the European Union. The vote secured a fourth term for Rama. The prime minister said that the summit is a point of pride for Albania, and an “inspiration and motivation to continue further on.” His Socialist Party says it can deliver EU membership in five years. The EPC forum is Macron's brainchild, and was backed by former German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, aiming to boost security and prosperity across the continent. But critics claimed it was an attempt by them to put the brakes on EU enlargement. The 2022 inaugural summit involved the EU's 27 member countries, aspiring partners in the Balkans and Eastern Europe, as well as neighbors like the U.K. — the only country to have left the EU — and Turkey. Russia is the one major European power not invited, along with Belarus, its neighbor and supporter in the war with Ukraine. The next EPC meeting will take place in Denmark later this year.  54 people killed in overnight airstrikes on southern Gaza city amid Trump's Mideast trip

Russia and Ukraine are set to hold their first face-to-face peace talks in three years on Friday, convening in Istanbul under Turkish mediation. However, both officials and analysts anticipate little progress in halting the war, which has now stretched into its fourth year. Ukraine’s delegation, led by Defense Minister Rustem Umerov, is expected to meet a lower-level Russian team headed by presidential aide Vladimir Medinsky.  Russia launches smallest nighttime attack on Ukraine in months in run-up to possible peace talks The renewed attempt to revive peace talks began on a shaky note Thursday, as Russian President Vladimir Putin declined Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s offer for direct talks. The two delegations also arrived in different Turkish cities and appeared mismatched in terms of diplomatic representation. While expectations were low for a possible Zelenskyy-Putin meeting, the sluggish momentum of the peace process dashed hopes of a breakthrough in Turkey. The two sides remain deeply divided on terms for ending the conflict. On Thursday, U.S. President Donald Trump, during a visit to the Middle East, said a meeting between him and Putin was essential to overcome the stalemate. Ukraine has accepted a 30-day comprehensive ceasefire proposal backed by the U.S. and Europe, but Putin has dismissed it, instead laying out broad preconditions. Meanwhile, Ukrainian officials and Western military analysts report that Russia is preparing for a renewed military offensive. After Putin declined Zelenskyy’s invitation to meet in Ankara on Thursday, the Ukrainian president accused Moscow of not being genuinely interested in ending the war, criticizing Russia’s delegation as merely symbolic. Nonetheless, Zelenskyy said Ukraine would still send a delegation led by his defense minister to the Istanbul talks, as a signal to Trump that Kyiv remains committed to peace despite Russia’s apparent reluctance. According to the Kremlin, Russia’s delegation will include three additional senior officials, along with four junior “experts” assigned to the discussions. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated he would meet Friday in Istanbul with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and the Ukrainian delegation. He also noted that members of the U.S. team would hold talks with the Russian side, expressing hope that all parties might eventually sit down together. “We’re not expecting major results tomorrow. Honestly, it’s clear by now that a real breakthrough would require a direct meeting between President Trump and President Putin,” Rubio told reporters Thursday in Antalya. Meanwhile, Zelenskyy traveled to Albania to participate in a summit of European political leaders scheduled for Friday.  Russian House in Dhaka celebrates the 80th Anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was city-hopping across Europe on Thursday to promote a “victory plan” that he said “aims to create the right conditions for a just end to the war" against Russia, detailing the proposals to European allies after a summit with President Joe Biden was derailed by Hurricane Milton. Zelenskyy's talks in London with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte were quickly followed by another meeting in Paris with French President Emmanuel Macron, who just the previous day sent a strong signal of support for Ukraine by visiting Ukrainian troops being trained in France. Zelenskyy posted on X that he “outlined the details” of the Ukrainian victory plan to Starmer and added: “We have agreed to work on it together with our allies.” Starmer's Downing Street office said the leaders discussed the blueprint, the challenges for Ukraine of the approaching winter and “how investment in the country’s security today would support Europe’s broader security for generations to come.” The Ukrainian leader also met Rutte with Starmer. Zelenskyy posted afterward that they discussed trans-Atlantic cooperation and further reinforcing Ukraine militarily. He gave no details but posted that “these are the steps that will create the best conditions for restoring a just peace.” Zelenskyy has yet to publicly present his proposals for victory. But the timing of his efforts to lock in European support appeared to have the looming U.S. election in mind. Former President Donald Trump has long been critical of U.S. aid to Ukraine. Zelenskyy had planned to present his blueprint at a weekend meeting of Western leaders in Germany, but it was postponed after Biden stayed home because of the hurricane that struck Florida. Zelenskyy then embarked on his whistle-stop tour of European capitals that have been among Ukraine's staunchest allies outside of the United States. In Paris, Macron and Zelenskyy hugged before talks on the plan at the French presidential Elysee Palace. Afterward, Zelenskyy said “all the details” would come in November and that he's talking with allies about securing more military aid and permission for Ukrainian forces to carry out long-range strikes. Kyiv wants Western partners to allow strikes deep inside Russia, using long-range weapons they provide. Some, including the U.K. and France, appear willing, but Biden is reticent about escalating the conflict. Read: New NATO chief Mark Rutte visits Ukraine in his first trip since taking office “The situation looks bleak for all sides,” Tatiana Stanovaya, a senior fellow at the Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center, said Thursday on X. "The West hesitates amid internal divisions, Ukraine struggles while bracing for a harsh winter, and Russia presses forward without any strategic shifts in its favor, yet grows increasingly impatient.” Later Thursday, Zelenskyy met in Rome with Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni, who ensured Italy's full and continued support “at both bilateral and multilateral level in order to put Kyiv in the best position possible to build a just and lasting peace.” Meloni said the meeting provided an opportunity to discuss the situation on the ground and Ukraine’s “most immediate military, financial and humanitarian needs, as well as the forthcoming diplomatic initiatives and the pathway to bring an end to the conflict.” She added that Rome will continue to do its part also in the future reconstruction of Ukraine and announced the dates for the next Ukraine recovery conference, which will be held in Rome in July 2025. Zelenskyy stressed that his priority is to strengthen Ukraine’s position, with the help of its international partners, to create the necessary conditions for diplomacy. "Russia is not really looking for a diplomatic path,” he said. “If we are able to implement the victory plan, Russia won't be able to continue the war.” Zelenskyy is scheduled to meet Pope Francis Friday morning for a half-hour audience, the Vatican said. Later in the day, he'll meet German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in Berlin. Ukraine relies heavily on Western support, including tens of billions of dollars’ worth of military and financial aid, to keep up the fight against its bigger enemy after almost 1,000 days of fighting since the full-scale Russian invasion began in 2022. Fearing that crucial help could be in jeopardy due to political changes in donor countries, Ukraine has been building up its domestic arms industry. It also wants to raise more money from taxpayers to pay for the war effort. The Ukrainian parliament passed a bill on second reading Thursday that raises the so-called military tax from 1.5% to 5%. Some amendments are expected before it becomes law. Read more: China, at UN, warns against 'expansion of the battlefield' in Ukraine war Zelenskyy’s tour comes as Russia continues a slow but relentless drive deeper into Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk region and targets key infrastructure with airstrikes. Zelenskyy said Wednesday that the victory plan seeks to strengthen Ukraine “both geopolitically and on the battlefield” before any kind of dialogue with Russia. “Weakness of any of our allies will inspire (Russian President Vladimir) Putin,” he said. “That’s why we’re asking them to strengthen us, in terms of security guarantees, in terms of weapons, in terms of our future after this war. In my view, he (Putin) only understands force.” The death toll from a Russian ballistic missile strike on Ukraine’s southern city of Odesa rose Thursday to eight, regional Gov. Oleh Kiper said. It was the latest in a string of assaults on the Black Sea port. Authorities in Kyiv also announced Thursday that Ukrainian journalist Viktoria Roshchyna died while being in Russian captivity, although the circumstances of her death remained unknown. Moscow admitted detaining Roshchyna, who went missing in 2023 while on a reporting trip to Russia-occupied areas.

A year ago, country star Brad Paisley watched the news on television as Russian troops invaded Ukraine and, like many people around the world, he felt helpless at the images of people fleeing their homes. “The world felt like it was in a new place that it hadn’t been in decades,” the three-time Grammy winner recalls. On Friday, the one-year anniversary of the war’s start, Paisley released a new song called “Same Here,” featuring Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy speaking proudly about his country and people. Read more: Ukraine: Zelenskyy seeks more sanctions, fighting grinds on The song is Paisley’s first from his new record, “Son of the Mountains,” to be released later this year on Universal Music Group Nashville. The West Virginia native wrote the song with Lee Thomas Miller (co-writer on Paisley hits “The World” and “Perfect Storm”) and Dawes frontman Taylor Goldsmith. It’s a three-part narrative that reflects on universal similarities, despite distance and language. While it doesn’t mention Ukraine specifically, the song ends with Paisley and Zelenskyy in conversation, recorded during a video call. Zelenskyy talks about Ukrainians’ desire for freedom, adding “There is no distance between our two countries in such values.” “There’s just no differences,” Paisley told The Associated Press. “You can put us in different places with different flags and different languages, but we have so many similarities.” Paisley is one of several celebrity ambassadors for Ukraine’s United24 crowdfunding effort, and has donated his time for other fundraising efforts to assist Ukrainians. But even he thought it would be a long shot to have the direct involvement of Zelenskyy, who has traveled the world advocating for Ukraine’s military and recovery efforts. Read more: Ukraine’s Zelenskyy makes emotional appeal for EU membership “I think he understands that art is how you reach the most people, especially in the heart,” Paisley said of Zelenskyy, who was an actor and comedian before becoming president. “He can give as many speeches as he can give, but it’s a lot easier to hear something with a melody maybe.” Zelenskyy didn’t just sign off on the song; he also suggested some changes to it, Paisley said. Paisley’s royalties for the song will be donated to United24 to help build housing for thousands of displaced Ukrainians whose homes were destroyed in the war, he said. Using his platform to advocate for causes important to him has always been part of his career, whether it was opening a free grocery store in Nashville with his wife, Kimberly Williams-Paisley, or fighting hunger by donating 1 million meals during the pandemic. “I wouldn’t be able to sleep at night if I didn’t sort of swing for the fence with things like this,” Paisley said. “For me, I’m happiest dealing with stuff as a songwriter that’s very true and very, very passionate. And sometimes I don’t know if you’d call it risky, but it’s more like it’s bigger than me.” Read more: People across the world gather to mark war anniversary Paisley brings his passion on stage during live shows. He’s been changing the lyrics to his hit song “American Saturday Night,” for instance, to replace a reference to the U.S.S.R. to “There’s a Ukrainian flag hanging up behind the bar.” The new record will be his debut on UMG since moving from Sony’s Arista label, and he said “Same Here” reflects the kinds of big universal themes on it. “We do deal with stuff going on in the world,” Paisley said. “How do you sing about things that are truly big — a big deal right now — that also don’t feel like maybe they’re the type of thing that you would be singing about typically? And yeah, on this album I have kind of really dug deep and tried to say something.” Paisley, who has visited U.S. troops in Afghanistan, said he’s been invited to visit Ukraine, which he’d like to do. In the meantime, he hopes the song’s message will bolster the country now facing down year two of the war. “That’s where it gets really rewarding... feeling like maybe the heart of this helps paint the picture they want to paint,” Paisley said.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s dramatic visit to Washington was a moment for the White House to demonstrate to Russia’s Vladimir Putin that the United States would sustain its commitment to the war for, as President Joe Biden put it, “as long as it takes.” It also provided the Ukrainian president, dressed in military green, the opportunity in the grand setting of the U.S. Capitol to thank Congress for the billions of dollars that are sustaining his country in the fight. “As long as it takes” is powerful rhetoric, but it now collides with a formidable question: How much more patience will a narrowly divided Congress — and the American public — have for a war with no clear end that is battering the global economy? On Wednesday night, Zelenskyy made his case. In an address before a joint meeting of Congress, he melded Ukraine’s struggle to maintain its sovereignty with America’s battle for freedom. He spoke of the battle for Bakhmut — where a fierce, monthslong battle in eastern Ukraine is underway — as his country’s Battle of Saratoga, a turning point in the American Revolutionary War. Zelenskyy, who visited the frontlines of Bakhmut shortly before traveling to Washington, presented members of Congress with a Ukrainian flag signed by the troops. And while he expressed thanks for U.S. aid, he also told the lawmakers “your money is not charity.” “It’s an investment in global security and democracy that we handle in the most responsible way,” Zelenskyy said. The majority of Americans, polls show, continue to support aid for Ukraine as it has managed to repel a Russian military some U.S. government officials initially believed would quickly overwhelm Ukrainian forces. But the outmanned Ukrainians, with the help of some $21.3 billion in American military assistance since the February invasion, have managed to rack up successes on the battlefield and exact heavy losses on Russian troops. Zelenskyy, seated next to Biden in the Oval Office, with a fire crackling in the fireplace behind them, acknowledged that Ukraine was in its more favorable position because of bipartisan support from Congress. “We control the situation because of your support,” said Zelenskyy, who presented Biden with a medal that had been awarded to the Ukrainian captain of a HIMARS battery, a rocket system provided by the U.S., that the officer wanted Biden to have. Yet even as support for Ukraine was being hailed by both Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell as serving core American interests, bipartisan unity on Ukraine was starting to fray. “I hope that we’ll continue to support Ukraine, but we got to explain what they’re doing all the time,” Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., said shortly before Zelenskyy landed in Washington on Wednesday afternoon. “I think you have to keep selling things like this to the American public. I don’t think you can just say, you know, for the next, whatever time it takes.” Just before Zelenskyy’s arrival, the U.S. announced a $1.85 billion military aid package for Ukraine, including Patriot surface-to-air missiles, and Congress planned to vote on a spending package that includes an additional $45 billion in emergency assistance to Ukraine. Pelosi and others compared Zelenskyy’s visit to British Prime Minister Winston Churchill’s 1941 visit for talks with President Franklin D. Roosevelt following Japan’s bombing of Pearl Harbor. Read more: Zelenskyy to meet Biden, address Congress as war rages on Pelosi, in a letter to fellow lawmakers Wednesday, noted that her father, Rep. Thomas D’Alesandro Jr., was a House member when Churchill came to Congress on the day after Christmas “to enlist our nation’s support in the fight against tyranny in Europe.” “Eighty-one years later this week, it is particularly poignant for me to be present when another heroic leader addresses the Congress in a time of war — and with Democracy itself on the line,” said Pelosi, who will soon step down as speaker with Republicans taking control of the House. Biden, born less than a year after Churchill’s historic visit, observed that Zelenskyy has showed enormous fortitude through the conflict. “This guy has, to his very soul — is who he says he is. It’s clear who he is. He’s willing to give his life for his country,” Biden said during a news conference with Zelenskyy. McConnell made the case in a speech on the Senate floor that supporting Ukraine is simply pragmatic. “Continuing our support for Ukraine is morally right, but it is not only that. It is also a direct investment in cold, hard, American interests,” McConnell said. Still, there are signs of discontent in the Republican conference. Rep. Kevin McCarthy, who is vying to be the next House speaker when Republicans take over in the new year, as said his party won’t write a “blank check” for Ukraine once it’s in charge. Some of the most right-leaning members of the Republican conference have lashed out at McConnell over his support of Ukraine. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., in a Wednesday morning Twitter post accused McConnell of pressing for passage of the $1.7 trillion spending bill that includes new funding for Ukraine “so that he can hand a $47 BILLION dollar check to Zelenskyy when he shows up in DC today.” “But in my district, many families & seniors can’t afford food & many businesses are struggling bc of Biden policies,” she added. For now, hers is mostly an isolated voice. Unlike in other conflicts of the past half century in which the U.S. has been deeply involved — Vietnam, Iraq and Afghanistan — the cost of helping Ukraine has been strictly financial. While the far right is beginning to turn up the volume on its skepticism on spending, the Ukrainian cause is an easier sell than those long costly conflicts, said Elliot Abrams, who served in senior national security and foreign policy roles in the Donald Trump, George W. Bush and Reagan administrations. “With Ukraine, I think it’s much easier to make the argument that helping Kyiv resist Russian aggression is a valuable thing to do, and grinding down the Russian military is a valuable thing to do,” said Abrams, who is now chairman of the conservative foreign policy group Vandenberg Coalition. “And the cost of American lives is zero.” As the war in Ukraine has passed 300 days, polling shows Americans have grown less concerned and less supportive of U.S. aid. In September, just 18% of U.S. adults said the U.S. wasn’t providing enough support to Ukraine, according to Pew Research Center, compared with 31% in May and 42% in March. Still, about as many — 20% — said in September that the U.S. was providing too much support. About a third said the level of support was about right, and about a quarter weren’t sure. Republicans were roughly three times as likely as Democrats to say support was too much, 32% vs. 11%. Read more: G20: Zelenskyy, Biden trying to persuade world leaders to further isolate Russia Biden acknowledged that the past 10 months have been difficult and lamented that Russian President Vladimir Putin showed no sign of having the “dignity” to call off the invasion. He assured Zelenskyy that the U.S. wasn’t going anywhere. “You don’t have to worry, we are staying with Ukraine,” Biden said. Petr Pudil, a board member of Slovakian-based nongovernmental group Globsec, said Zelenskyy’s mission of keeping America engaged is a difficult one, but he is up to the task. Pudil’s group earlier this month helped organize a visit to Washington by Ukrainian parliament members who made their case that American support is going to be needed for some time while assuring lawmakers that it will not be wasted. “One of the goals of Zelenskyy for this trip is convincing those who are still skeptical that winning is a real option,” Pudil said. “But it can be done, and only if they deliver the right support. Everyone needs to understand that there is a chance to win.”    

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was making his way to Washington on Wednesday for a summit with President Joe Biden and to address Congress in his first known trip outside the country since Russia’s invasion began in February. Zelenskyy said on his Twitter account that the visit was “to strengthen resilience and defense capabilities” of Ukraine and discuss cooperation between his country and the U.S with Biden. The highly sensitive trip is taking place after 10 months of a brutal war that has seen tens of thousands killed and wounded on both sides of the conflict, along with devastation for Ukrainian civilians. It also comes as U.S. lawmakers are set to vote on a year-end spending package that includes about $45 billion in emergency assistance to Ukraine and as the Pentagon prepares to send Patriot surface-to-air missiles to the country to defend itself. Zelenskyy headed abroad after making a daring and dangerous trip Tuesday to what he called the hottest spot on the 1,300-kilometer (800-mile) front line of the conflict, the city of Bakhmut in Ukraine’s contested Donetsk province. He praised Ukrainian troops for their “courage, resilience and strength” as artillery boomed in the background. In a statement Tuesday night, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Biden looks forward to the visit and that the address to Congress will demonstrate “the strong, bipartisan support for Ukraine.” “The visit will underscore the United States’ steadfast commitment to supporting Ukraine for as long as it takes, including through the provision of economic, humanitarian, and military assistance,” she said. Zelenskyy was scheduled to meet with Biden at the White House in the afternoon and then join Biden for a news conference in the East Room. He was expected to address Congress in the evening. In her invitation to Zelenskyy to address a joint meeting of Congress at the U.S. Capitol, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said “the fight for Ukraine is the fight for democracy itself” and that lawmakers “look forward to hearing your inspiring message of unity, resilience and determination.” U.S. and Ukrainian officials have made clear they don’t envision an imminent resolution to the war and are preparing for fighting to continue for some time. Biden has repeated that while the U.S. will arm and train Ukraine, American forces will not be directly engaged in the conflict. Biden and Zelenskyy first discussed the idea of a visit to Washington during their most recent phone call, on Dec. 11, and a formal invitation followed three days later, said a senior U.S. administration official, briefing reporters on condition of anonymity because of the sensitive nature of the visit. Zelenskyy accepted the invitation on Friday and it was confirmed on Sunday, when the White House began coordinating with Pelosi to arrange the congressional address. The White House consulted with Zelenskyy on security for his departure from Ukraine and travel to Washington, including the risk of Russian action while Zelenskyy was briefly out of the country, the official added, declining to detail the measures taken to safeguard the Ukrainian leader. The official said the U.S. expected Russia to continue its attacks on Ukrainian forces and civilian infrastructure targets despite the trip. Read more: US to send $3 billion in aid to Ukraine as war hits 6 months The tranche of U.S. funding pending before Congress would be the biggest American infusion of assistance yet to Ukraine — even more than Biden’s $37 billion emergency request — and is meant to ensure that support flows to the war effort for months to come. On Wednesday, the U.S. was also set to announce that it will send a major package of $1.8 billion in military aid to Ukraine that will for the first time include a Patriot missile battery and precision guided bombs for its fighter jets, U.S. officials said. The aid signals an expansion by the U.S. in the kinds of advanced weaponry it will send to Ukraine to bolster its air defenses against what has been an increasing barrage of Russian missiles in recent weeks. The package will include about $1 billion in weapons from Pentagon stocks and $800 million in funding through the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, officials said. The decision to send the Patriot battery comes despite threats from Russia’s Foreign Ministry that the delivery of the advanced surface-to-air missile system would be considered a provocative step and that the Patriot and any crews accompanying it would be a legitimate target for Moscow’s military. It’s not clear exactly when the Patriot would arrive on the front lines in Ukraine, since U.S. troops will have to train Ukrainian forces on how to use the high-tech system. The training could take several weeks, and is expected to be done in Germany. To date, all training of Ukraine’s forces by the U.S. and its Western allies has taken place in European countries. The visit comes at an important moment as the White House braces for greater resistance when Republicans take control of the House in January and give more scrutiny to aid for Ukraine. GOP leader Kevin McCarthy has said his party’s lawmakers will not write a “blank check” for Ukraine. Biden and Zelenskyy frequently have talked by phone as the White House arranges new tranches of military assistance for Ukraine. The calls have been mostly warm, with Biden praising Ukraine for remaining steadfast against the Russians and Zelenskyy thanking the U.S. president for support. The one exception was a June phone call soon after Biden notified Zelenskyy that an additional $1 billion package was headed to Ukraine. Zelenskyy didn’t miss a beat in ticking off the additional assistance he said Ukraine needed. That irked Biden, who underscored to Zelenskyy the American people’s generosity. But the brief moment of tension hasn’t caused any lasting difficulty, according to officials familiar with the episode. Pelosi, who visited Zelenskyy earlier this year in Kyiv, encouraged lawmakers to be on hand for Wednesday evening’s address by the Ukrainian leader. “We are ending a very special session of the 117th Congress with legislation that makes progress for the American people as well as support for our Democracy,” Pelosi wrote Tuesday in a letter to colleagues. “Please be present for a very special focus on Democracy Wednesday night.” Later at the Capitol she said of Ukrainians, “They are fighting for democracy for all of us.” Read more: Russia warns of ‘consequences’ if US missiles go to Ukraine Russia’s invasion, which began Feb. 24, has lost momentum. The illegally annexed provinces of Donetsk, Kherson, Luhansk and Zaporizhzhia remain fiercely contested. With the fighting in the east at a stalemate, Moscow has used missiles and drones to attack Ukraine’s power equipment, hoping to leave people without electricity as freezing weather sets in. In a video released by his office from the Bakhmut visit, Zelenskyy was handed a Ukrainian flag and alluded to delivering it to U.S. leaders. “The guys handed over our beautiful Ukrainian flag with their signatures for us to pass on,” Zelenskyy said in the video. “We are not in an easy situation. The enemy is increasing its army. Our people are braver and need more powerful weapons. We will pass it on from the boys to the Congress, to the president of the United States. We are grateful for their support, but it is not enough. It is a hint — it is not enough.” For his part, Putin on Tuesday hailed the “courage and self-denial” of his forces in Ukraine — but he did so at a ceremony in an opulent and glittering hall at the Kremlin in Moscow, not on the battlefield. At the Kremlin ceremony, Putin presented awards to the Moscow-appointed heads of the four illegally annexed regions of Ukraine. In a video address honoring Russia’s military and security agencies, he praised the security personnel deployed to the four regions, saying that “people living there, Russian citizens, count on being protected by you.” Putin acknowledged the challenges faced by the security personnel. “Yes, it’s difficult for you,” he said, adding that the situation in the regions is “extremely difficult.”