Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky met with President Biden at the White House on Wednesday, followed by an evening address before Congress, where he made the case for continued support after 300 days of war.
Biden and Zelensky presented a united front during the Ukrainian leader’s first public international appearance since Russia invaded his country in February, while Zelensky later told lawmakers he needs more aid and weapons to defeat Russia, adding: “Your money is not charity. It’s an investment in the global security and democracy that we handle in the most responsible way.”
Russia criticized the visit Thursday, with Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov saying there “were no real calls for peace.” Responding to the U.S. decision to provide Ukraine with the Patriot missile system, the most advanced air-defense weapon in the American arsenal and one of Ukraine’s top requests, Peskov claimed that weapons shipments were “prolonging the suffering of the Ukrainian people.”
Here’s the latest on the war and its ripple effects across the globe.
5. From our correspondents
Here’s everything you need to know about Patriot missiles. The Biden administration on Wednesday announced a $1.85 billion military assistance package for Ukraine on Wednesday, which includes the Patriot missile system, an advanced surface-to-air guided missile system that can detect and shoot down incoming missiles and aircraft — a sophisticated weapon Zelensky’s government has long sought.
With a strike range of roughly 20 to 100 miles, the Patriot battery will not protect the entire country, write Meryl Kornfield and Maham Javaid, but experts say it makes a strong political statement about the United States’ commitment to Ukraine.
Rick Noack and Christian Shepherd contributed to this report.
