Biden invites Ukraine’s president to White House
President Joe Biden reaffirmed US support for Ukraine’s territorial integrity Mon after Russian troop movements on its border, and invited President Volodymyr Zelensky to the White House.
National Protection Advisor Jake Sullivan told reporters that Biden talked by phone with Zelensky, telling him “he'll stand up firmly for Ukraine’s sovereignty” and “looks ahead to welcoming him to the White House come early July.”
The invitation to visit in July marked a show of support for Ukraine ahead of Biden’s summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Geneva in a few days.
White House press secretary Jen Psaki said the leaders experienced talked about the countries’ “shared democratic values and Ukraine’s Euro-Atlantic aspirations.”
She said Biden “affirmed the United Claims’ unwavering commitment to Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity in the face of ongoing Russian aggression in Donbas and Crimea.”
In a statement Zelensky accepted the invitation.
He said that within their phone call Biden had reaffirmed support for providing a good pathway for Ukraine to become listed on NATO, and Zelensky “likewise expressed gratitude” for a US plan to source 900,000 Covid-19 vaccine dosages to Ukraine.
The Biden administration has expressed strong support for Kiev since it faces Russia-allied separatists and saw a solid buildup in April of Russian troops along its eastern border and in Crimea, the Ukraine territory seized seven years back by Moscow.
The movement of hefty armor and around 100,000 troops or even more to Ukraine’s border sent alerts through NATO over concerns that Russia could be preparing to invade Ukraine beneath the guise of conducting military exercises.
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Moscow said it had been not threatening the country and has since pulled again a number of the troops.
In March the Biden administration signalled its assist by approving $125 million in military aid to Ukraine, with another $150 million on hold until Kiev can demonstrate improvement on military reforms.
Ukraine though remains worried about the strength of US support.
It has expressed concern above the timing of the Biden-Putin meeting, and Washington’s decision to drop sanctions targeted at blocking completion of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline set to provide gas from Russia to Germany, bypassing Ukraine.
“Nord Stream 2 isn't an economic task. It poses a serious danger and is a secureness challenge,” the Zelensky affirmation said.
Biden meanwhile faces the probability of stepped-up political episodes from the proper over meeting Zelensky, following Ukraine figured deeply on his election fight last year against previous president Donald Trump.
Trump was impeached after he pressured Zelensky, using aid due to leverage, to hand more than political dirt on Biden, who due to vice president many years earlier had dealings with the country.
Without evidence, Republicans even now maintain that Biden is protecting himself and his son Hunter Biden over allegedly shady business deals finished with Ukrainians.
While Biden was vice president, Hunter Biden was on the board of 1 of the country’s greatest energy organizations, with the company apparently having hoped to exploit him for his political connections.
