President Biden will likely visit Ukraine, the embattled country’s leader predicted in an interview aired Sunday.
“It’s his decision, of course, about the safety situation,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told CNN’s “State of the Union.” “He’s the leader of the United States, and that’s why he should come here to see.”
Asked Thursday whether he was prepared to visit Ukraine, Biden answered in the affirmative.
But the following day, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki appeared to shoot down the idea.
“He’s ready for anything,” she told the “Pod Save America” show. “The man likes the fast cars and aviators. He’s ready to go to Ukraine. It’s true he does.
“We are not sending the president to Ukraine,” Psaki concluded.
Last month, Biden visited Ukraine’s neighbor Poland, where he stunningly asserted that Russian President Vladimir Putin “cannot remain in power.” He and White House staffers quickly walked back the statement, saying he wasn’t advocating regime change in the Kremlin.
Several world leaders have visited Ukraine since Russia invaded the country on Feb. 24. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson traveled to Kyiv, where he did a walking tour of the city alongside Zelenskyy, earlier this month.
Ukraine’s president insisted his country will ultimately win the brutal struggle, but said it needs more support. Last week, Biden announced $800 million in additional military aid for Ukraine — bringing total U.S. assistance to the embattled country to $2.5 billion.
“There will never be enough [assistance],” Zelenskyy said. “Enough isn’t possible.”
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