Zelensky is expected to visit Washington as US Congress debates $21 billion in aid for Ukraine

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is expected on Capitol Hill and at the White House next week as he visits the US during the United Nations General Assembly.

Zelensky’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 Zelensky 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.

At the time Zelensky 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 Zelensky’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 US government running.