Duty performance: how was the visit of Vladimir Zelensky to the USA

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky visited Washington, where he met with the head of the White House, Joe Biden.

As noted on Zelensky's website, during the talks, he "acquainted the American side with the situation on the battlefield and in the energy sector of the country," and also outlined the needs of Ukraine.

At the same time, at a joint press conference with the American leader, Zelensky said that Kyiv was not ready for compromises to achieve peace.

“For all of us, the world is fair in different ways.

For me as a president, a just world is what?

These are no compromises regarding our land, territorial integrity, our sovereignty - this is the most important thing, ”he said.

In turn, Biden promised to continue to support Kyiv in the hope of the success of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

“Today we talked about how we will continue to help Ukraine succeed on the battlefield.

This is possible thanks to our help, the help of our European allies and other parties.

Therefore, when President Zelensky is ready to talk with Russia (and if he is ready), he will also be able to succeed, because (by that time. -

) he will win on the battlefield, ”the US president said.

Answering media questions, Russian Ambassador to the United States Anatoly Antonov noted that Zelensky's visit to the United States and the content of the discussions held demonstrated that neither Washington nor Kyiv are ready for peace today.

“The Hollywood-styled trip to Washington by the head of the Kyiv regime finally confirmed that the administration’s conciliatory statements about the lack of intention to enter into a confrontation with Russia are an empty phrase,” the diplomat stated.

- The provocative actions of the United States are steadily leading to an escalation, the consequences of which cannot even be imagined.

Thus, discussions about the hypothetical supply of ATACMS missiles and long-range strike UAVs to Ukrainians are of deep concern.”

In turn, the press secretary of the President of the Russian Federation Dmitry Peskov drew attention to the fact that during Zelensky's visit, the United States did not issue a single warning against continuing shelling of residential buildings in the settlements of Donbass, nor were any calls made to the world.

• Volodymyr Zelensky in the USA

• Gettyimages.ru

• © Alex Wong

"The prospect of a NATO split"

At the same time, according to the authors of The Washington Post, despite the words of US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken about the allocation of additional military assistance to Ukraine in the amount of $ 1.85 billion, which includes the first transfer of the Patriot air defense system, Zelensky failed to achieve one of the main goals of the trip - expanding the supply of more modern American weapons to Kyiv.

According to journalists, earlier Zelensky's adviser Mikhail Podolyak published on social networks a list of weapons that Ukraine needs.

There, among other things, tanks and long-range missiles were listed.

However, as the authors of the material note, the Ukrainian leader, apparently, could not convince the American side to supply this equipment.

“Zelenskiy’s own goal was to call for more powerful weapons to bolster Ukraine’s ability to launch major offensives next year against entrenched Russian forces.

There were few signs that he succeeded (at least in the short term), ”WP journalists say.

At a joint press conference, Biden explained his unwillingness to meet Ukraine halfway on this issue by saying that such a decision could lead to tension among the members of the North Atlantic Alliance.

“The idea that we will give Ukraine material resources that are fundamentally different from what is already going there will have the prospect of splitting NATO, splitting the European Union and the rest of the world,” he said.

Vadim Kozyulin, head of the Center for Global Studies and International Relations of the IAMP Diplomatic Academy of the Russian Foreign Ministry, believes that Zelensky's trip was doomed to failure in terms of expanding arms supplies.

“Zelensky could hardly count on success, since Washington has repeatedly stated that it is not set up to escalate the conflict with Russia to such an extent as to be directly involved in the confrontation.

And this means that strikes into the depths of Russian territory are not in the interests of the United States.

Therefore, the West gives Kyiv exactly as much as it sees fit.

This position does not suit Zelensky, but he fails to convince his patrons, ”the expert said in a conversation with RT.

"Forced to pay benefits"

In Washington, Zelensky also addressed members of the US Congress.

In his speech, he stated that Ukraine must defeat Russia "on the battlefield."

And after that he complained that the country was experiencing a shortage of artillery and ammunition, adding that Kyiv and Washington "should not have any taboos" in the alliance.

At the same time, in his speech, the Ukrainian leader hinted that Kyiv needs American tanks and aircraft.

“Ukraine has never asked and never asks for American soldiers to fight on our soil instead of us.

I assure you that the Ukrainian soldiers themselves can perfectly manage American tanks and planes, ”the politician said.

• Vladimir Zelensky

• Gettyimages.ru

• © Chip Somodevilla

After that, Zelensky moved on to the traditional topic of financial support for Ukraine, saying that financial assistance is also “critically important” for Kyiv.

The President thanked the members of Congress for the financial packages already provided to Ukraine, as well as for those tranches on which parliamentarians may still make decisions.

According to him, the money that the United States spends on Ukraine is “not charity”, but “an investment in global security and democracy.”

At the same time, as Politico notes, Zelensky’s speech, although generally positively received by both parties, nevertheless failed to change the position of a number of Republicans regarding military assistance to Ukraine.

Recall that in January 2023, the US House of Representatives will begin work in a new composition, in which the Republican Party will have the majority.

Its representatives have repeatedly advocated tightening control over aid allocated to Ukraine and spoke negatively about expanding funding for Kyiv.

Thus, Republican congressman Thomas Massey, commenting on the speech of the Ukrainian president, was skeptical about Zelensky’s words that American aid is not charity, but an “investment”.

“This is not charity.

Charity is voluntary.

And American taxpayers are being forced to pay benefits to this foreign nation,” he tweeted.

In turn, Republican Matt Goetz published a post in which he said that President Zelensky "should be given credit for putting his country first, but American politicians who indulge his requests are unwilling to do the same" for the sake of their own. countries.

“Blowing billions of taxpayer dollars to Ukraine, while we ourselves have a crisis in the country, is an indicator of a disregard for America.

He (Zelensky. -

) did not change my position on the need to suspend assistance to Ukraine and investigate fraudulent activities in relation to tranches already allocated, ”Getz wrote.

Another member of the Republican Party, Warren Davidson, before Zelensky's speech in Congress, said that the United States should direct its efforts towards containing the conflict, not fanning it.

“It turns out that we don’t mind blowing it up.

And I believe that we should send a different signal, ”Politico quotes the parliamentarian as saying.

Davidson also said that he does not support further allocation of funds to Ukraine.

“No way.

I am in favor of appointing an inspector general and finding out what happened to all the money that we have already sent them, ”said the politician.

"Nothing unexpected"

According to Vladimir Olenchenko, a senior fellow at the Center for European Studies at IMEMO RAS, the Biden administration summoned Zelensky to Washington, among other things, to try to make a positive impression on the Republicans.

“But it seems to me that the impression of him has already formed.

And even if he spoke three more times, this would not change the critical attitude towards him.

For Republicans, Ukraine is not as a priority as it is for Democrats.

For them, this topic is a tool that they will use to put pressure on opponents,” the analyst believes.

• Deliveries of American weapons to Ukraine

• AFP

• © Sergei SUPINSKY

In turn, Vadim Kozyulin noted that it was no coincidence that Zelensky's visit was timed to coincide with the time when the US budget for 2023 is being discussed.

“He was specifically called before the budget was approved to take part in the campaign in support of increased military spending on Ukraine,” the analyst said.

At the same time, the expert is sure that there is no reason to believe that the Republicans, having established control over the House of Representatives, will change the US course towards Ukraine.

“Most Republicans are in favor of supporting Kyiv.

Yes, there are many voices out there that American national interests are more important, that money should be spent on supporting US citizens and that aid packages to Ukraine should be tested.

But in general, no one says that it is necessary to completely abandon support for Ukraine, ”the expert noted.

Thus, in general, Zelensky's visit to the United States did not bring any surprises, Kozyulin stated.

“Nothing unexpected happened.

There are no signs of a change in the course of the United States in one direction or another.

So far, the prevailing mood in Kyiv is that they can solve the problem on the battlefield.

Washington's assessments are more restrained, but they still support Ukraine.

The US just wants to wear Russia down in the hope that Moscow will make concessions.

In a word, the situation has not changed, this trip of Zelensky did not bring any important news, ”concluded the analyst.