peace not on the cards
Biden will come face-to-face with a man with whom he has spoken regularly over the past 10 months but has not met in person since the war broke out. The US official said he would not use the talks to push Zelensky towards talks with Putin.
The Kremlin said on Wednesday that it saw no prospect of peace talks with Kyiv. Speaking to reporters, spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the conflict would “intensify” if Western arms supplies continued to Ukraine.
The Biden administration has provided nearly $20 billion in military aid to Ukraine, including artillery ammunition, munitions for NASAMS air defense systems, and High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS).
Zelensky has repeatedly called on the West to supply more advanced weapons, from modern battle tanks to missile defense systems.
‘Fort Bakhmut’
On Tuesday he made a surprise visit to Bakhmut, an eastern border town that has been shattered by months of Russian bombardment, underscoring the importance of its defense against Russia’s stuttering but persistent efforts to capture it.
In his nightly video address, Zelensky called it a visit to “Fortress Bakhmut” in Donetsk, a province Russia claimed in September as an illegal occupation, in a move rejected by most countries.
Video released by his office showed Zelensky, dressed in combat khaki, presenting medals to soldiers at a dilapidated industrial complex amid thunderous applause.
In contrast, Putin presented medals to Russian-appointed leaders of Donetsk and three in the comfort of the Kremlin
Other regions of Ukraine claimed by Russia.
Video footage released on Ukrainform TV, part of Ukraine’s state news agency, shows soldiers in Bakhmut handing Zelensky a Ukrainian flag, signed by him.
“We will hand it over to Congress and the US President,” Zelensky said in the video. “We are grateful for the support. But it is not enough.”
The US Senate has introduced a government-funding bill that includes $44.9 billion in emergency aid to Ukraine and NATO allies. The money would be used for military training, equipment, logistics and intelligence support, as well as to offset US equipment sent to Ukraine.