Selenski’s daring journey to Washington

Daniel Kestenholznight shift editor

According to reports in the American media, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky (44) is expected to arrive at the White House on Wednesday. After a meeting with US President Joe Biden (80), he has to give a speech in Congress. It would be Zelensky’s first trip abroad since the outbreak of war on February 24. Neither Washington nor Kiev initially confirmed the trip.

It was “not certain the trip would take place,” Politico reported, citing anonymous US government sources. They “warned that Zelensky was still in Ukraine on Tuesday night. There are concerns whether he can leave his country and return.” On the same day, Selensky visited the front in Bakhmut.

The trip to the US should take place under the highest level of secrecy. Russia monitors all movements of the Ukrainian president. “The risks of such a visit are great,” writes the New York Times. “Such a journey would be surrounded by strict secrecy.”

Well kept secret

Even Russian President Vladimir Putin (70) has been afraid to leave the safe borders since the outbreak of the war. In July he was in Tehran – with the allied arms supplier. Putin canceled expected summit visits in Indonesia and Thailand. Both for security reasons and because of open confrontations that would have threatened him on the world political scene.

In Washington, Zelensky would be of his own kind. But the way there and back poses enormous logistical challenges. The travel plans remain a closely guarded secret and will probably be kept secret until the last moment – until Zelensky’s arrival in Washington – as the US media suspects.

Since the beginning of the war, Selenski has relied on video speeches for appearances on the world political scene – for example, at the G7 summit in Elmau, Bavaria. The Ukrainian president has traveled to the battlefield several times – unlike the Russian president, who has not been to the front once.

Pelosi Hints

While the White House remains silent on the speculated Zelensky visit, outgoing Speaker of the US House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi, 82, secretly referred to a speech by Selensky in Congress on Tuesday. In a letter, she calls on MPs to personally attend the “meeting on Wednesday evening”. She gave no explicit reason for this, writing only: “Please be there on Wednesday night when we mainly focus on democracy.”

Will Washington provide the Patriot system?

The US has provided Ukraine with billions in military aid since the start of the war. Recently, there have been reports that the US government is considering supplying Ukraine with the powerful Patriot air defense system. So far there has been no official confirmation from Washington. However, the government did not dismiss the reports as false. According to experts, the Patriot air defense system would partly reshuffle the cards in Russia-attacked Ukraine. It can even repel aircraft, cruise missiles, drones or missiles at a greater distance.

Moscow recently warned Washington about a delivery by the Patriot. Like other heavy weapons, these complexes would become “legitimate priority targets” for Russian troops, State Department spokeswoman Maria Zakharova, 46, said last week. The US government is already supplying several Himar missile launchers and the Nasams air defense system to Ukraine.

Another 45 billion for Kiev

On Tuesday, the Republicans and Democrats in the US Congress also agreed on a budget with a size of 1.7 trillion dollars (1.58 trillion francs). It provides, among other things, $ 44.9 billion (41.6 billion Swiss francs) in aid to Ukraine. However, the Senate and House of Representatives still have to vote on the draft.

Zelensky said in his video address on Tuesday that this week is extremely important for Ukraine. This “to get through this winter and next year,” Zelensky said, and “to get the necessary support so that the Ukrainian flag finally flies on all parts of our border.”