According to American media, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyj also wants to visit Washington after his planned speech to the UN General Assembly in New York. A meeting with President Joe Biden at the White House and talks with members of Congress at the Capitol are planned for next week, the Washington Post, Bloomberg and CNN, among others, report. Meanwhile, the Ukrainian military says it will continue to put pressure on Russian forces near the city of Bakhmut in the Donbass.
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Reports on Zelensky’s visit to Washington
The American media cited government sources in their reporting on Thursday; there was initially no official information about Zelenskyj’s supposedly planned visit to Washington. It also remained unclear whether the Ukrainian head of state would deliver a speech to Congress, as he did in December. According to sources from the political website Punchbowl News, his trip to Washington is scheduled for next Thursday.
Zelenskyi is likely to appeal to the US capital for further help for his country in its defense against Russia. The United States is Ukraine’s main supporter in the war; no country provides more military and financial assistance than the United States. President Biden and his Democrats are currently campaigning for additional aid worth a total of more than 20 billion dollars (equivalent to 18.6 billion euros) for military, economic and humanitarian purposes.
Ukraine has received broad bipartisan support in the Senate since the start of the war, but criticism of ongoing aid payments has increased recently in the House of Representatives. The Republicans have a slim majority there.
Zelensky last visited Washington in December 2022, meeting with Biden and delivering the speech at the Capitol before both houses of Congress. UN Secretary General António Guterres wants to welcome the Ukrainian to the UN General Assembly, where more than 140 heads of state and government are expected from Monday at the United Nations headquarters on the East River in New York. Zelenskyj’s path then leads to Washington.
The US imposes sanctions on 150 other Putin supporters
The US is now expanding its sanctions against supporters of Kremlin leader Putin. More than 150 people and companies will be subject to new punitive measures, the government in Washington announced. The goal is to “attack Russia’s military supply chains and deprive Putin of the equipment, technology and services he needs for his barbaric war against Ukraine,” according to Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen.
Russia expels two American diplomats
Conversely, Russia expel two US embassy employees, according to official information. The first and second secretaries of the diplomatic mission have been declared persona non grata and must leave the country within seven days, the Russian Foreign Ministry said. The reason given was that they were accused of interfering in internal affairs.
International Criminal Court opens office in Kiev
To investigate alleged Russian war crimes, the International Criminal Court has opened an office in the Ukrainian capital Kiev. It is the largest branch of the Court outside its headquarters in The Hague, Netherlands, President Zelensky said in his evening video address. The international investigation will help restore “justice to Ukraine and to our entire people.”
Heavy fighting for villages near Bakhmut
In its counter-offensive, the Ukrainian army says it is fighting hard for three villages south of the city of Bakhmut. Moments later, the army denied initial statements by Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Maljar that the village of Andriivka had already been liberated.
On Thursday evening, the Ukrainian military said it had attacked two Russian patrol boats with water drones not far from Crimea’s annexed Black Sea peninsula. “There is some damage,” the Army’s Strategic Communications Division said. This could not initially be independently verified. Russia has so far only admitted an attack on the Sergei Kotov, one of the patrol boats of its Black Sea Fleet, but claims to have repelled all five water drones used by Ukraine.
What will be important on Friday?
Kremlin boss Putin wants to receive Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko next Friday in Sochi on the Black Sea. This year alone it is the seventh meeting between the two allies. (sda/dpa)
Soource :Watson
I am Amelia James, a passionate journalist with a deep-rooted interest in current affairs. I have more than five years of experience in the media industry, working both as an author and editor for 24 Instant News. My main focus lies in international news, particularly regional conflicts and political issues around the world.
