WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has arrived in New York to attend sessions at the U.N. General Assembly, the Ukrinform state news agency reported on Sunday.
Zelenskiy’s visit to attend sessions at the U.N. General Assembly in New York coincides with U.S. efforts to prepare a $375 million military aid package for Ukraine, breaking a months-long trend toward smaller packages for Kyiv’s military operations.
Zelenskiy will present a “victory plan” in Ukraine’s war against Russia to President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris in separate meetings scheduled for Thursday.
Zelenskiy also hopes to meet Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, who has called U.S. aid to its eastern European ally a waste of money and has declined to say he wants Ukraine to win. Trump has said he will probably meet with Zelenskiy this week but no date has been announced.
Trump faces Harris in the Nov. 5 U.S. election.
Zelenskiy has long complained of a shortage of weapons, including crucial 155-millimeter artillery shells made at the Scranton plant. Those concerns have taken on added urgency as Russia pummels Ukraine’s energy grid ahead of the critical winter months.
Two U.S. officials told Reuters on Friday that an aid package, expected to be announced this week, includes patrol boats, additional ammunition for high-mobility artillery rocket systems (HIMARS), 155- and 105-millimeter artillery ammunition, spare parts and other weapons.
The officials said the contents and size of the package could change in the coming days ahead of the Biden’s expected signature.
(Reporting by Elaine Monaghan; Editing by Chris Reese and Lisa Shumaker)
