Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is expected to visit Capitol Hill and the White House next week as he visits the US during the UN General Assembly.
Zelensky’s visit comes as Congress debates providing $21 billion in military and humanitarian aid to Ukraine to fight Russian aggression.
An administration official, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss the sensitive trip, said Zelensky will meet with President Joe Biden at the White House next Thursday. The trip to the Capitol was confirmed by two congressional aides, who were granted anonymity to discuss the plans.
The Ukrainian President made a wartime visit to Washington in December 2022 and delivered an impassioned speech to a joint meeting of Congress.
At the time Zelensky thanked Americans for helping finance the war effort and told lawmakers the money was “not a donation” but an “investment” in global security and democracy.
Details of Zelensky’s visit next week have not yet been made public.
There is growing division in Congress over providing additional funding for Ukraine. Biden has asked for a $13 billion package of additional military aid and $8 billion for humanitarian aid for Ukraine.
But some conservative Republican lawmakers are pushing for broader federal spending cuts and some are specifically considering withholding funding to Ukraine as Congress votes on its annual appropriations bill ahead of a Sept. 30 deadline to keep the U.S. government running. Working to pass.