President Joe Biden will travel to Brussels next week to attend a special meeting of NATO leaders on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
“President Biden @POTUS is arriving at @NATO HQ next week to attend an extraordinary meeting of leaders of all NATO allies,” the US Mission to NATO tweeted.
White House press secretary Jen Psaki confirmed at her briefing on Tuesday that Biden will travel abroad next Thursday as Russian aggression against Ukraine continues.
The President “will discuss ongoing deterrence and defense efforts in response to Russia’s unprovoked and unjustified attack on Ukraine, and will also reaffirm our unwavering commitment to our NATO allies,” she said.
“He will also take part in the planned European Council summit,” she said of the March 24 meetings at NATO Headquarters.
She did not rule out Biden meeting one-on-one with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky or traveling to Poland to educate himself on the refugee crisis.
“His goal is to personally meet face to face with his European counterparts and talk about what needs to be done at this stage of the conflict related to the Russian invasion of Ukraine,” she said.
The announcement of Biden’s trip comes as the heads of three Eastern European governments – the Czech Republic, Poland and Slovenia – travel to Kyiv to meet with Zelensky.
And it follows travel by top administration officials to the region, including Vice President Kamala Harris and Secretary of State Anthony Blinken.
President Joe Biden will travel to Brussels next week to attend a special meeting of NATO leaders on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg announced on Tuesday that he was convening a special meeting.
“I convened an extraordinary summit on March 24 at NATO Headquarters. We will look at #Russia’s invasion of #Ukraine, our strong support for Ukraine, and the further strengthening of NATO’s deterrence and defense. At this critical time, North America and Europe must continue to stand together,” he said.
Russian forces are closing in on Kiev as Vladimir Putin ramps up his aggression and some commentators in Moscow are calling for the use of nuclear weapons to alert Ukraine.
Meanwhile, Russian troops are shelling the outskirts of Kyiv, hitting residential buildings and a shopping center in the western part of the city. The city has a curfew.
But both sides are talking, including about a possible ceasefire, said Ukrainian delegate to the talks Mykhailo Podoliak.
The Biden administration has defended its work in helping Ukraine, repeatedly emphasizing its humanitarian and supply assistance. Officials also point out that the US and its allies have imposed tough economic sanctions on Putin, his inner circle, Putin-made billionaire oligarchs, and Russian banks.
“He approved and accelerated the delivery of more aid, military and security assistance to Ukraine than ever before in history,” Psaki said of Biden’s actions.
She spoke about $1.2 billion in aid provided by the United States. And the US government’s comprehensive funding includes an additional $13.6 billion to fund Ukraine.
The fight against Russian aggression is being led by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who is on a personal trip to call on Western countries to help his country and impose a no-fly zone over his country.
The White House ruled out the no-fly zone, saying it would be patrolled by US fighter jets that could be forced to fire on Russian aircraft, which they fear will lead to World War III.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has been pleading with Western allies to “close the skies” over his country as he redoubled his call for a no-fly zone in a speech in Canada’s Parliament.
A Ukrainian soldier inspects the ruins of a destroyed apartment building in Kyiv after a series of Russian bombings.
Zelensky on Wednesday addresses the deputies of Congress in a virtual address.
Canadian lawmakers gave him a standing ovation when he delivered an emotional speech to Parliament on Tuesday.
He repeated a call he made last week to the London House of Commons asking for a no-fly zone over Ukraine.
Can you imagine when you call your friends – your friendly people – and ask you please close the sky. Close airspace, please stop bombing, how many more cruise missiles must fall on our cities until you do this, ”he said.
In his speech to Congress on Wednesday, Zelenskiy is expected to ask for help bolstering his country’s ground-based air defense system and could make a call for the use of fighter jets, which the Biden administration dismissed when he delivered his video message.
Zelensky offered a possible preview of his speech on Tuesday during a video call to British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and representatives from the Baltic and Nordic countries gathered in London.
He expressed disappointment at NATO’s refusal to introduce a no-fly zone as Kyiv continues to be shelled. Russian troops launched new attacks on the capital of Ukraine.
Zelenskiy accused NATO leaders of being “hypnotized” by Russia.
“We hear a lot of talk about a third world war, that allegedly it could start if NATO closes the Ukrainian skies to Russian missiles and aircraft, so a humanitarian no-fly zone has not yet been established,” he said.
“This allows the Russian army to shell peaceful cities and blow up residential areas, hospitals and schools.
“Early in the morning, four high-rise buildings were shelled in Kyiv, dozens of people were killed.”
He demanded “separate security guarantees” for his country.
He also said that the tough economic sanctions imposed by the West on Vladimir Putin, his inner circle and Russian banks are not enough.
He called for a complete trade embargo with Russia, a ban on Russian warships from ports around the world, and the exclusion of all Russian banks from the Swift financial messaging system.
The Pentagon last week rejected an offer from Poland to hand over planes to the United States, which could then be sent to Ukraine.
In a letter to Biden, 42 Republican senators expressed their disappointment with the decision, writing that they “strongly disagree with the Department of Defense’s decision to delay and deny Poland the ability to transfer fighter jets to Ukraine.”
Some Democrats also disagreed with the administration’s position.
Meanwhile, lawmakers are expected to pass legislation this week that would strip Russia of its preferred trade status after Biden, along with G7 leaders, said the US would downgrade the Kremlin’s trade status.