Pressure mounts for Biden to visit Ukraine
by Mychael Schnell - 04/17/22 3:00 PM ET
Pressure is mounting for President Biden to visit Ukraine after his administration said it is considering sending a senior official to the embattled country.
The U.S. has ramped up lethal military aid as Russia looks to focus its efforts in eastern Ukraine and finally seize Mariupol, which is under siege by Moscow after weeks of attacks.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba on Sunday both expressed an interest in having Biden visit Ukraine; British Prime Minister Boris Johnson visited the war-torn country earlier this month.
Zelensky told CNN’s “State of the Union” that he expects the U.S. leader will do so.
“I think he will. And I think he — but it’s not — I mean, it’s his decision, of course. And about the safety situation, it depends. I mean that. But I think — I think he’s the leader of the United States, and that’s why he should come here to see,” Zelensky said.
Kuleba said a visit from Biden “would be an important message of support for us” during an interview with CBS’s “Face the Nation,” and he noted that a meeting between the two presidents could “pave the way” for new supplies, weapons and discussions on a possible political settlement to end the conflict.
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https://thehill.com/news/sunday-talk-shows/3271152-pressure-mounts-for-biden-to-visit-ukraine-amid-increased-calls-for-aid/