Zelenskyy is expected to visit Capitol Hill as Congress is debating $21 billion in aid for Ukraine

2024-12-24 02:33:52 source: category:Markets

WASHINGTON (AP) — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is expected on Capitol Hill and at the White House next week as he visits the U.S. during the United Nations General Assembly.

Zelenskyy’s trip comes as Congress is debating providing as much as $21 billion in military and humanitarian aid for Ukraine as it fights the Russian invasion.

An administration official, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss the sensitive visit, said Zelenskyy will meet with President Joe Biden at the White House next Thursday. The trip to the Capitol was confirmed by two congressional aides granted anonymity to discuss the plans.

The Ukrainian president made a wartime visit to Washington in December 2022 and delivered an impassioned address to a joint meeting of Congress.

More politics news Angry and frustrated, McCarthy challenges right-flank colleagues to try to oust him from his post Hunter Biden is indicted on federal firearm-purchasing charges after plea deal fails Supreme Court pauses order curbing Biden administration efforts to block social media posts

At the time Zelenskyy thanked Americans for helping to fund the war effort and told lawmakers the money is “not charity,” but an “investment” in global security and democracy.

Details of Zelenskyy’s visit next week were not yet being made public.

Congress is increasingly divided over providing additional funding for Ukraine. Biden has sought a package of $13 billion in additional military aid for Ukraine and $8 billion for humanitarian support.

But some conservative Republican lawmakers have been pushing for broad federal spending cuts and some are specifically looking to stop money to Ukraine as Congress works to pass its annual appropriations bills before a Sept. 30 deadline to keep the U.S. government running.

More:Markets

Recommend

Spurs coach Gregg Popovich had a stroke earlier this month, is expected to make full recovery

Basketball Hall of Famer Gregg Popovich has been away from the team because he suffered a mild strok

Hate crime charges filed in death of Sikh man after New York City fender bender

NEW YORK (AP) — A man who beat a 66-year-old Sikh man to death while calling him “turban man” after

Eerie new NASA image shows ghostly cosmic hand 16,000 light-years from Earth

Just in time for Halloween, NASA has released a spooky new image that the space agency says shows th