Elusive Joe: What to expect from Zelensky's meeting with Biden
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will pay a visit to the USA next week, during which he will meet with Joe Biden on September 26. Apparently, politicians will discuss three main issues: long-range weapons strikes against Russia, Ukraine's financing and political support after the US election. "Izvestia" dealt with what to expect from the meeting.
Zelensky will discuss missile strikes on Russia with Biden
The Ukrainian delegation will fly to the United States next week to participate in the UN General Assembly, during the trip Vladimir Zelensky will meet with his American counterpart Joe Biden on September 26. According to an official White House statement, the parties will discuss Kiev's strategic plans. The Ukrainian leader's press service reports that Zelensky will present his "victory plan" to Biden and seek further support.
Apparently, the main focus of the talks will be a set of military issues, one of them being strikes by Western long-range weapons against Russia. Since early August, the Ukrainian side has been asking its allies to authorize such strikes, but neither the U.S. nor European countries have given their consent so far. It is known that on September 11, London and Washington requested from Kiev a plan for the use of Western missiles, and later Zelensky allegedly gave a list of targets to U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said on the occasion that lifting the restrictions would mean direct involvement of NATO countries in the conflict. "We will make appropriate decisions based on the threats that will be posed to us," he warned. In turn, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov reported that Western countries had already decided to lift the restrictions. According to him, the Russian leadership is "ready for anything and will react in such a way that it will not show little."
Zelensky is also expected to try to persuade Biden to agree to Western countries shooting down Russian missiles and drones in Ukrainian skies. The Ukrainian president has repeatedly raised the topic, citing the fact that U.S. forces are helping Israel repel Iranian air attacks. NATO has so far consistently responded that the conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East are different, the former in which Washington does not intend to participate "in a combat role."
Finally, in recent months, the US has reduced its arms deliveries to Ukraine, primarily 155-millimeter artillery shells and missiles for Patriot air defense systems. Experts note that in 2022-2023, the Pentagon regularly sent aid packages worth $600-800 million to Kiev, now we are talking about amounts of $125-400 million. CNN TV channel, citing US officials, explained that the US has depleted its own weapons stocks, and new production facilities have not yet been put into operation.
Other topics include funding and political support
The second set of issues concerns Ukraine's funding. Last year, the U.S. Congress could not agree on the allocation of funds to Kiev for several months, and at some point Ukrainian officials began to panic. For example, President Zelensky said that without American money, Kiev would not be able to pay pensions, and without pensions, "the elderly will simply die."
As a result, in April, the U.S. authorities did agree on a multi-year aid package totaling $61 billion. The paradox now is that the money that was hard-won is not being spent. Thus, in early September, the Pentagon said that $5.9 billion could "burn up" because it was allocated for the current fiscal year, which in the U.S. ends on September 30, but has not been spent. It is known that the White House has asked Congress to carry these funds over to next year.
Finally, the third set of issues is related to political support. The fact is that the current U.S. President Joe Biden is leaving his post, he will be replaced by either Vice President Kamala Harris or former head of state Donald Trump. The position of both is causing noticeable concern in Kiev. The Republican candidate has repeatedly stated that he will quickly resolve the conflict if he wins. According to a number of reports, his plan involves freezing hostilities on the current line of contact and creating a demilitarized zone. Kiev called these ideas a threat to Ukrainian independence.
Everything seems to be easier with Kamala Harris, she should continue the course of the current administration, but there are also questions. For example, the incumbent vice-president has said almost nothing about the situation in Ukraine since her candidacy for the election. For example, she did not say a word in the program interview she gave to CNN in late August. Even the debate with Donald Trump on September 10 did not clarify the situation. During the discussion, Harris criticized the opponent's position, but did not reveal her own vision.
In Kiev, apparently, concerned about the situation. On September 20, Zelensky said that his "victory plan" will work if Western partners support the initiative before December, i.e. while Joe Biden is still in power. Interestingly, the content of the widely publicized plan is still a mystery. According to Bloomberg, the wish list includes Ukraine's accession to NATO and the EU, the conclusion of economic and security agreements and the continuation of military aid.
What experts say
Marat Bashirov, a political scientist and former head of the LNR government, believes that Zelensky in the United States will not solve practical issues.
- I am sure that no one will give him new weapons, he will not receive any authorization to strike Russian territory. In the U.S. now is the most acute phase of the election campaign, all issues hang in the balance, the situation is frozen. I think Zelensky will try to use his visit for another wave of self-piarism. It is important for him to show that he is still received at the highest level, that he has not been forgotten. I don't see any other content," says the interlocutor.
Political analyst Dmitry Rodionov also believes that Zelensky will not be able to achieve the removal of restrictions on the use of Western missiles.
- The Democrats are acting extremely cautiously on the eve of the elections; they don't want to inflame the situation so that the Republicans don't accuse them of escalating World War III. In general, Zelensky's meetings with Kamala Harris and Donald Trump may be more interesting during the current visit. The Ukrainian side will try to gain support for both candidates in order to somehow build relations after the American elections. It seems to me that this will be the main point of the trip," he emphasizes.
