Biden to Zelensky: “US will strengthen Ukraine’s defenses, we want a just peace”

A warm handshake, followed by an emotional hug. Thus, the President of the United States, Joe Biden, received at the White House a washington the Ukrainian counterpart, Zelensky, on his first trip abroad since his country was invaded by Russiaon February 24th.

The two are involved in a meeting which will also be attended by the Minister of Justice, Merrick Garland, which will be followed by a joint press conference at around 22:30, Italian time. Then the Kiev number will direct to Capitol Hill, where he will give a speech at Congressbefore leaving the States.

But the news agency Bloomberg already revealed the content of a first conversation between the two: in the center, of course, the war in ukraine🇧🇷 “It’s an honor to stand by her side and it’s great to see her again,” Biden said of the “brutal assault” for Ukraine began 300 days ago.

“Vladimir Putin is trying to use the winter as a weapon in Ukraine,” Biden said, noting that “it’s hard to believe they went through 300 days and that Putin led a brutal attack on the right of Ukrainians to exist as a nation,” noting the intensifying Russian attacks on civilian energy and infrastructure.

The president also added that “the US will strengthen the ukrainian defense, including air”. The reference is mainly to sophisticated air defense missile systems Patriotthat are part of the new aid package that Washington will send to Kiev for a total of $1.85 billion🇧🇷 What the US wants – he underlined – “is a Peace right🇧🇷

Instead, Zelensky reiterated that “the war is not over” after expressing gratitude “from the bottom of my heart” for what the US has done in these months of conflict. “I thank Congress and the Americans for their support for Ukraine,” he said.