By Daniel DePetris
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s surprise visit to Washington Wednesday was designed to bolster the Ukrainian leader with a show of solidarity as well as financial and military support in the face of a relentless Russian attack and a bitter winter.
President Joe Biden literally rolled out the red carpet for Zelenskyy, who was greeted in the White House driveway by the president and first lady and quickly ushered into the Oval Office for a bilateral meeting and a joint press conference. Zelenskyy then received a rousing welcome on Capitol Hill before he made a prime-time address to a joint meeting of Congress.
The ceremonial solidarity seems to reflect the United States’ internal policy well. America has been Ukraine’s primary security benefactor since Russian President Vladimir Putin opted for a war of choice that is failing in all respects. Washington has showered more than $21 billion of security aid to the Ukrainian military, from High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS) and Switchblade drones to Stinger anti-aircraft systems.
This week, the Biden administration announced another $1.8 billion in weapons that for the first time include the Patriot anti-missile defense system. There will be more U.S. security assistance going forward: The annual spending bill released by Congress this week would provide Kyiv with an additional $45 billion in support, even more than President Joe Biden requested.
This piece was originally published in NBC on December 21, 2022. Read more HERE.