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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Monday he would visit United States of America for talks this week on the possible US provision of long-range weapons, a day after US President Donald Trump warned Russia He can send long-range Tomahawk missiles to Kiev
The Ukrainian president said a meeting between Zelensky and Trump could take place as early as Friday, adding that he would also meet with defense and energy companies and members of Congress.
“The main topics for maintaining pressure on Russia will be air defense and our long-range capabilities,” Zelensky said.
He spoke at a meeting with the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs Kaja KailashHe said he would seek further US assistance to protect Ukraine’s electricity and gas networks, which have faced frequent Russian bombing. Zelensky traveled to the US on Sunday after what he described as a “very meaningful” phone call with Trump. Trump later warned Russia that it could send long-range Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine if Moscow did not resolve the war there soon. The missiles would allow Ukraine to strike deeper into Russian territory.
Moscow has expressed “extreme concern” over the US potentially providing Tomahawk cruise missiles to Ukraine. Russian President Vladimir Putin himself previously suggested that US supplies of long-range missiles to Ukraine would seriously damage relations between Moscow and Washington,
Zelensky will join the Ukrainian delegation already in the US for preliminary talks led by Prime Minister Yulia Sviridenko. Russia has stepped up attacks in recent weeks targeting electricity and gas infrastructure in a bid to disable Ukraine’s power grid ahead of the winter freeze to depress public morale. Ukraine’s State Emergency Service said the worst attacks using drones and missiles early Monday hit the Black Sea port of Odessa and the northern Chernihiv region, where one person was killed.
Kallas, the EU’s top diplomat, promised to keep up pressure on Moscow. He also expressed confidence that Hungary’s objections to the new Russia sanctions package will be overcome, even if the process drags on until next week’s meeting of EU leaders. Kallas said, “The needs in terms of funding are enormous. We must help Ukraine defend itself so that later we do not have to spend more on repairing destroyed infrastructure.” “We are 27 member states, and 27 democracies, so debate takes time… I am positive that, as before, we will achieve a decision.”
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Follow AP’s coverage of the war in Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine