WASHINGTON — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is planning to attend the United Nations General Assembly in New York City next week and meet with President Joe Biden, according to a senior Ukrainian official.
It is unclear whether the Biden-Zelenskyy meeting will take place in New York City or at the White House. The White House declined to comment.
Biden most recently met with Zelenskyy in July during the NATO summit in Vilnius, Lithuania.
“I hope we finally have put to bed the notion about whether or not Ukraine is welcome in NATO. It’s going to happen,” Biden said in remarks before their bilateral meeting. “We’re moving — you’re all moving in the right direction. I think it’s just a matter of getting by the next few months here.”
Secretary of State Antony Blinken visited Kyiv earlier this month, meeting with Zelenskyy and senior Ukrainian officials to “demonstrate the United States’ unwavering commitment to Ukraine’s sovereignty, territorial integrity, and democracy, especially in the face of Russia’s aggression,” according to a State Department spokesperson.
During his visit, the State Department announced additional U.S. aid to the country, including $100 million in foreign military financing, $90.5 million in humanitarian demining assistance and $300 million to support law enforcement efforts in liberated regions, according to the department.
Zelenskyy has publicly expressed his intention to appear at UNGA for months. He delivered a speech at the UNGA in 2022, but it was virtual.
“For us, this is a war for life,” he told the U.N. “That is why we need defense support — weapons, military equipment and shells. Offensive weapons, a long-range one is enough to liberate our land, and defensive systems, above all, air defense. And we need financial support — to keep internal stability and fulfill social obligations to our people.”
