CNN
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US President Joe Biden and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky displayed a united front on their method to Russia’s ongoing conflict in Ukraine as Zelensky makes a dramatic visit to the United States.
“I think … we share the exact same vision, and that a free, independent, prosperous and secure Ukraine is the vision – we both want this war to end,” Biden instructed reporters within the White House East Room.
Zelensky’s go to marks his first journey outdoors his homeland since it was invaded 300 days in the past, arriving in Washington Wednesday afternoon set a course for the way forward for the conflict alongside a key Western ally.
Earlier Wednesday the Ukrainian chief met with Biden within the Oval Office and subsequently held a joint information convention on the White House. Zelensky is now on Capitol Hill.
The go to got here because the Biden administration introduced it’s sending almost $2 billion in further safety help to Ukraine, together with a sophisticated new air defense system.
At the beginning of the information convention, Biden relayed that he felt it was “particularly meaningful” to talk to Zelensky in individual and “look each other in the eye.” The Ukrainian president’s management, Biden mentioned, has impressed the world.
“We understand in our bones that Ukraine’s fight is part of something much bigger,” Biden continued.
Biden mentioned Zelensky has proven his “strong stand against aggression in the face of the imperial appetites of autocrats,” and mentioned the US was standing alongside Ukraine in sustaining “core principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity.”
During the information convention, Biden instructed CNN’s Phil Mattingly that the missile system – known as the Patriot system – is defensive, not escalatory. Zelensky mentioned the system is “something that will strengthen our air defense significantly.”
“Every dollar of this investment for the United States is going to be a strengthening of global security and I know that the American leadership will be strong and will play important role in global scope,” Zelensky added. He additionally recommended Ukraine would need extra of the methods.
Both Biden and Zelensky addressed the Russians through the information convention, with the Ukranian president repeatedly calling Russian forces of “terrorists” and Biden underscoring the significance of being “clear” about Russia’s actions.
“It is purposely attacking Ukraine critical infrastructure, destroying the system to provide heat and light (to) Ukrainian people during the coldest, darkest part of the year. Russia is using winter as a weapon, freezing people, starving people, cutting them off from one another,” Biden mentioned. The conflict, Biden later argued, “could end today if Putin had any dignity at all and did the right thing and just … pulled out. But that’s not gonna happen.”
But the 2 leaders, it appears, nonetheless have totally different views on their method to pursuing peace with Russia.
Early within the information convention, Biden mentioned Zelensky was open to pursuing a “just peace.” Later, when requested by a reporter to share his thought of a good technique to finish the conflict, the Ukrainian chief responded, “For me, as a president, just peace is no compromises as to the sovereignty, freedom and territorial integrity of my country, the payback for all the damages inflicted by Russian aggression.”
“There can’t be any just peace in the war that was imposed on us by these … inhumans, I would say,” he added.
The journey, which US and Ukrainian officers organized in secret over the previous week, got here with heavy dangers. After arriving in Poland by prepare, Zelensky flew to Washington aboard an American army plane, US officers mentioned. He arrived within the US shortly after noon at Joint Base Andrews, simply outdoors the nation’s capital.
In photos: Zelensky’s wartime go to to US
Zelensky arrived to the South Lawn simply after 2 p.m. ET, eschewing a go well with for his now-familiar army inexperienced shirt. A army honor guard lined the White House driveway as his black automobile pulled towards the constructing.
“I understand that we have very important topics and we’ll discuss them, everything, so many challenges in Ukraine, in Europe, in the world, from energy to the situation on the battlefield,” Zelensky mentioned within the Oval Office. “But first of all, really, all my appreciations from my heart, from the heart of Ukrainians, all Ukrainians, from our nation.”
Later Wednesday, Zelensky will tackle members of Congress on Capitol Hill in prime time.
Sources instructed CNN’s Jake Tapper that he’ll talk about a peace method he instructed Biden about and specific a willingness to have a peace summit of some type this winter.
Zelensky will tackle the American individuals noting shared values and immediately thanking them and politicians of each events. But as a way to proceed to guard his nation, he’ll proceed to ask for assist with sanctions, weapons, monetary help and justice – however underlining he has by no means requested for US troops on the bottom.
Zelensky will even talk about his go to on Tuesday to the frontlines – Bakhmut in Donbas – which has been beneath siege since May.
The go to by the Ukrainian chief to Washington, anticipated to final solely a matter of hours, quantities to a exceptional second 10 months since Russia’s conflict in Ukraine started.
Pulled collectively rapidly by American and Ukrainian officers over the previous 10 days, the wartime go to was meant to display in stirring style the continued American dedication to Ukraine at a second when Biden’s ability to maintain that support at house and overseas is being examined.
It has additionally been a chance for Biden and prime American officers to sound out Zelensky on how he views the trajectory of the battle, and to supply their ideas on what it might take to deliver the conflict to an finish.
“Together with our partners, we’re also going to impose costs on the Kremlin and will support Ukraine in pursuing a just peace,” Biden mentioned within the Oval Office, a reference to how Zelensky has mentioned he hopes to see the conflict finish. “President Zelensky, the United States stands with the brave people in Ukraine.”
Sitting earlier than a roaring hearth, Zelensky provided Biden a army cross medal from a Ukrainian soldier serving on the front strains.
“He said, ‘Give it to a very brave president,’” Zelensky mentioned.
“Undeserved but much appreciated,” Biden replied as he accepted the medal, asking if it might be doable to contact the Ukrainian soldier.
Biden first mentioned the prospect of Zelensky visiting Washington throughout a phone name with the Ukrainian chief on December 11, an administration official mentioned. A proper invitation was prolonged per week in the past that Zelensky accepted, launching joint consultations on the safety parameters of the dangerous, extremely secretive journey.
Zelensky, who the official mentioned was “very keen” to go to the US, decided these parameters met his wants, and the US set to work executing them. The journey was lastly confirmed on Sunday.
“We are working in lockstep with him and his staff to make sure we can make this trip safely, both coming to the United States and coming back. We will continue to support his travel requirements as best we can,” mentioned John Kirby, the strategic communications coordinator on the National Security Council.
Zelensky traveled to Poland by prepare as a part of his journey to the US on Wednesday. Video by CNN affiliate TVN in Poland captured the second Zelensky arrived by prepare in Przemysl, close to the Polish/Ukrainian border. Zelensky was then seen in a white 4×4 automobile ready to depart in a convoy.
Tight safety has been enforced round Zelensky’s go to amid issues that Russia desires to incapacitate the Ukrainian president, a supply near the Ukrainian chief instructed CNN on Wednesday. Because of this ongoing menace, senior prime authorities officers – in addition to embassy workers within the US – weren’t knowledgeable in regards to the schedule of the go to.
According to the supply, the army danger needed to be calculated permitting the Ukrainian president to make the quick abroad journey with out jeopardizing the army state of affairs. Scheduling additionally needed to be labored with the White House to evaluate availability for this to occur.
In weighing a go to, Zelensky recommended he didn’t wish to journey had there not been a big growth within the bilateral relationship between Ukraine and the US. Zelensky considered the US resolution to ship Patriot missile protection methods to Ukraine as a serious shift within the relationship between the 2 allies.
Over the course of the 10-month invasion, Zelensky has emerged because the worldwide personification of Ukrainian resistance and has spent a lot of the yr interesting to nations for assist. He has remained inside his nation at some point of the conflict, a mirrored image each of his need to rally alongside his besieged nation and the precarious safety state of affairs he would face outdoors Ukraine.
![US President Joe Biden walks with Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky through the colonnade of the White House, in Washington, DC on December 21, 2022. - Zelensky is in Washington to meet with US President Joe Biden and address Congress -- his first trip abroad since Russia invaded in February. (Photo by Brendan SMIALOWSKI / AFP) (Photo by BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP via Getty Images)](https://media.cnn.com/api/v1/images/stellar/prod/221221142109-05-zelensky-us-visit-1221.jpg?c=16x9&q=h_270,w_480,c_fill)
As the conflict nears its one-year anniversary, nevertheless, worldwide assist for Ukraine is being examined. Sanctions on Moscow have contributed to larger power costs, notably in Europe, which is closely reliant on Russian oil and gasoline. Biden, nevertheless, instructed reporters on Wednesday that he’s not involved about waning assist amongst NATO members or the European Union for Ukraine.
And inside the US, Republicans who’re poised to take control of the House of Representatives have signaled they received’t rapidly approve huge new help packages for Ukraine.
On the battlefield, Ukraine has retaken key cities and proven unlikely resistance to an unprepared and ill-equipped Russian military. But Russian President Vladimir Putin has proven no indication he plans to ease up, and has been ruthless in concentrating on civilian power infrastructure, lending a level of distress to Ukraine’s chilly winter.
The timing appeared ripe for Zelensky to make a dramatic gesture like slipping out of Ukraine for the primary time because the invasion started. For Biden, the go to presents a chance to strengthen his convictions for supporting Ukraine, even because the conflict plods on.
The new, $1.eight billion package deal Biden unveiled features a Patriot surface-to-air missile system, which has been a longstanding request of Ukraine’s to fend of Russian air assaults. CNN was first to report the US was anticipated to ship the Patriot methods to Ukraine.
Unlike smaller air protection methods, Patriot missile batteries want a lot bigger crews, requiring dozens of personnel to correctly function them. The coaching for Patriot missile batteries usually takes a number of months, a course of the United States will now perform beneath the stress of near-daily aerial assaults from Russia.
A senior administration official mentioned US troops would prepare Ukrainians to make use of the system in a 3rd nation. CNN has previously reported the coaching would happen at a US Army base in Grafenwoehr, Germany.
The system is broadly thought-about one of the vital succesful long-range weapons to defend airspace in opposition to incoming ballistic and cruise missiles, in addition to some plane. Because of its long-range and high-altitude functionality, it will possibly doubtlessly shoot down Russian missiles and plane removed from their supposed targets inside Ukraine.
Russia has warned on unspecific “consequences” if the US supplied Ukraine with Patriot missiles, viewing the shipments as additional US engagement within the conflict. The official was clear, nevertheless, that Biden remained steadfast in preserving the United States out of direct battle with Russia, regardless of the improved safety help.
“The President has been very clear that we are going to lean forward and be robust in our support for Ukraine on the military, economic, energy and humanitarian fronts, but we are not seeking to engage in a direct war with Russia. And nothing about that will change tomorrow,” the official mentioned.