The US assured him support to his war-ravaged country which he had asked as ‘future investment’
The Ukraine President’s visit to the US is indeed a turning point in the Russian-Ukraine conflict. The ten months old war has been inconclusive so far though most of the cost of war is being borne by Ukraine in terms of human lives, and economic meltdown; not to mention billions of dollars and effort that would be required to rebuild the country. Though Ukraine is no walkover it would not have survived the war this far had the Western powers not supported it with financial and military aid. The trip was almost a ‘thanksgiving’ and a bid to ask for more as Ukraine sees no letup in the Russian efforts to subvert it despite suffering huge losses and worldwide condemnation resulting in isolation and sanctions. With this high-profile meeting in Washington, Zelenskyy and Joe Biden have sent a clear message to Russia that the US support for Ukraine is unflinching and likely to go up in the coming days. This is a message not only to Russians but also people in the US who are weary of US aid to Ukraine.
The American president described Russia's attack on Ukraine as an attack on "liberty and democracy and one that demanded an American response. Zelensky called the US aid to Ukraine an "investment" that will strengthen global security. Indeed the Ukrainians are the worst sufferers of the war and are paying a heavy price for it. But war has brought hardships to the people of the West as well. US allies in Europe are facing a long, hard winter of high energy prices and accompanying economic hardships. And the American public is now skeptical about the aid the US is providing to Ukraine. However, the American "investment" in Ukraine would not be decided by Joe Biden alone, especially after the Republicans got an upper hand in the parliament. It is Congress that has to decide the quantum of support and the Ukrainian President did his job well by addressing them and convincing them. Congress over ten months has approved approximately $67bn in economic and military assistance to Ukraine. In a 2023 package, Congress would give an additional $45bn to Ukraine in aid. The Republicans argue why the US was spending so much money on a distant war, while cost-cutting on border security back home. This time Zelenskyy had a successful tour of the US but if the war doesn’t come to an end, he might have very few options at hand and Putin may have the last laugh.
