Biden Sends More Aid To Ukraine, Hits Russia With Fresh Sanctions, Tells Zelenskyy 'Not To Give Up Hope'

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy spent Monday and Tuesday in Washington pushing for more American aid amid congressional delays. And the White House yesterday appeared steadfast in its support, with president Joe Biden announcing additional $200m in aid, more Russia sanctions, and telling his Ukrainian guest 'don't give up hope,' TURAN's Washington correspondent reports from the White House.

“We’re going to stay at your side,” Biden told Zelenskyy as they addressed the media following Oval Office talks. "Mr. President, I will not walk away from Ukraine, and neither will the American people," he emphasized.

Biden praised Ukraine's defenders who have pushed back against Russia's full-scale assault for nearly two years, adding that the "brave people in Ukraine have defied Putin's will at every turn, backed by the strong and unwavering support of the United States and our allies and partners in more than 50 nations in Europe and the Indo-Pacific."

"Ukraine will emerge from this war proud, free and firmly rooted in the West, unless we walk away," Biden went on to add. "Putin is banking on the United States failing to deliver for Ukraine. We must prove him wrong." 

Biden also called on Congress to reach a compromise to pass the supplemental aid package, saying that the U.S. Congress should not give Putin a "Christmas gift" by failing to send more support to Ukraine.

Zelenskyy echoed the sentiment, saying that helping Ukraine "boosts the development of arsenals of democracy."

“I got the signal... they were more than positive, but we know that we have to separate words and, in particular, results,” he said, "Therefore, we will count on particular results.”

While Biden signed off on $200 million in new military assistance during Zelensky’s visit, the Congress remains unmoved on the White House's  request to provide $61 billion in aid to Ukraine as the border talks have snagged up legislation in the Senate.

“I’m ready and offered compromises already,” Biden said. “Holding Ukraine funding hostage in an attempt to force through an extreme Republican partisan agenda on the border is not how it works.”

Looking ahead to the next year, Zelensky said the focus will be on scaling up Ukraine’s air defenses and “destroying Russian logistics on Ukraine’s land.”

He also urges for 'working faster' with the frozen Russian assets: "... over 300 billion from terrorists. We should use it to protect against Russian terror."

The move came as the U.S. Treasury and State Departments Tuesday morning targeted more than 250 individuals and entities in Washington's latest action attempting to crack down on Russia and its evasion of sanctions imposed by the U.S. and its allies over the war in Ukraine.

“We want to see Ukraine win the war,” Biden said, when asked by reporters to describe the U.S. strategy for Ukraine.

When asked to comment on giving up any Ukrainian territory as part of potential negotiations with Russia, Zelenskyy rejected the idea outright, calling it “insane, to be honest...”

“We are talking about human beings — they are being under torture, they are being raped and they have been killed,” he said, “and those voices which offers to give up our territories, they offer as well to give up our people."

He continued, “I don’t know whose idea it is. But I have a question for these people, are they ready to give up their children to terrorists? I think no!”

Both presidents also faces a question about Ukraine potentially joining NATO:

Zelenkyy said: "We're allies but not members of NATO. Our big friend - President Biden."

Biden jumped in: "NATO will be in Ukraine's future - no question about that."

He concluded: "... Right now we have to make sure we end the war."