Zelensky to meet Biden and Harris, plans to see Trump

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky waves as he arrives for a visit at the Congress of Deputies in Madrid, on May 27, 2024. Zelensky’s visit comes as Ukraine has been battling a Russian ground offensive in the Kharkiv region which began on May 10 in Moscow’s biggest territorial advance in 18 months. (Photo by Pierre-Philippe MARCOU / AFP)

WASHINGTON, United States — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky will meet Joe Biden and Kamala Harris next week, and plans to see Donald Trump as he visits the United States to shore up support before November’s crucial presidential election.

Zelensky will be covering all the political bases in what could be his last such visit before an election that could upend Washington’s policy of support for Ukraine against Russia’s invasion.

The White House said Zelensky will have separate talks on September 26 with President Biden and with Vice President Harris, who is the Democratic nominee against Republican former president Trump.

Zelensky has said he will share a “victory plan” with the US leaders to end the war with Russia.

“The president and vice president will emphasize their unshakeable commitment to stand with Ukraine until it prevails in this war,” Biden’s Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said in a statement.

Biden said separately that he was “looking forward to hosting my friend President Zelensky.”

“During his visit, I’ll reaffirm America’s commitment to supporting Ukraine as it defends its freedom and independence,” Biden said.

The Ukrainian presidency said separately that Zelensky plans to meet “the 45th President of the United States, Donald Trump.”

There was no immediate confirmation from Trump’s camp.

Both Ukraine and NATO allies have been fretting that Trump could loosen US support for Kyiv.

Trump has repeatedly praised Russian President Vladimir Putin, and refused to take sides on the war during a debate with Harris last week, saying only: “I want the war to stop.”

Zelensky has meanwhile been pressuring the Biden administration to let it fire Western-made long-range weapons into Russian territory.

Biden and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer put off a decision on the issue last week, with Starmer saying they would discuss it further when they meet at the UN General Assembly in New York next week

The Ukrainian leader said last week that he planned to discuss his victory plan with Biden “this month”, and added on Wednesday that the plan was now “fully prepared.”

Zelensky has also said he aims to host another international peace summit outlining his vision to end the war in November, to which Russia will be invited.

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has dragged on for more than 30 months, with Ukraine now controling parts of Russia’s Kursk region while Moscow presses an advance into eastern Ukraine.