An Ukrainian official has invited President Joe Biden to visit Kyiv next week amid Russia’s ongoing invasion of the country, saying ‘one should not be afraid to – if you are brave.’
Ihor Zhovka, President Volodymyr Zelensky’s chief diplomatic adviser, has asked America’s commander-in-chief to visit Ukraine in person when he travels to Brussels for a NATO summit next week
Zhovka has requested that Biden facilitate Ukraine’s upcoming acquisition of U.S. weapons, which include fighter jets and missiles.
The adviser also slammed Ukraine’s allies, alleging Zelensky is ‘disappointed’ in the U.S. and NATO’s apparent rejection to fulfill the nation’s request to impose a no-fly zone over its airspace.
‘If NATO is not able to provide us with a humanitarian no-fly zone, please provide us with fighter jets, please provide us with anti-missile air defense systems,’ Zhovka said during a CNN interview, Mediaite reported. ‘So, my president will keep doing this. He spoke about this in the U.S. Congress. He’s talking about this on a daily basis.’
Biden, who has not publicly issued a decision on Zelensky’s request, was warned earlier this week that imposing the no-fly zone would be an ‘act of war’. It remains unclear how Biden will proceed.
Zhovka also noted how leaders of three other nations have visited Kyiv and met with Zelensky.
‘Well, you know, just this week, three prime ministers of three friendly nations – Poland, Czech Republic, and Slovenia – visited, personally, Kyiv, and they met personally with President Zelensky,’ he responded.
‘So why [doesn’t] President Biden come to Ukraine to meet with the president?’
When questioned about the danger of Biden traveling to Kyiv, Zhovka said: ‘Well, definitely it is dangerous when you have a war against my country, a war in Europe.’
It is unclear if Biden will accept Zhovka and Zelensky’s invitation, which comes as Ukraine is set to receive a new shipment of U.S. weapons within days, including javelin and stinger missiles.