United States Vice President Kamala Harris plans to meet with President Volodymyr Zelensky in Washington, D.C. next week, CNN reported on Sept. 18, citing sources familiar with the arrangements.
The meeting comes less than 50 days before the U.S. presidential election, a race that has been characterized by dramatic upheavals and sharply contrasting views on Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Zelensky will visit the U.S. next week to meet with President Joe Biden on the sidelines of the 79th U.N. General Assembly in New York City. Harris will then meet with Zelensky herself in Washington, three sources told CNN.
Zelensky's U.S. visit is an opportunity for him to champion his Victory Plan for Ukraine, which he said on Sept. 18 is now fully complete and ready to present Kyiv's allies. Zelensky previously said he plans to present the details to Biden during their meeting.
The plan will also be presented to Harris and former U.S. President Donald Trump, Zelensky said.
Trump told a reporter on Sept. 18 that he will "probably" meet with Zelensky when he visits the U.S., but did not give any details or say that such a meeting had been planned.
While Harris's campaign rhetoric has echoed the Biden administration's support for Ukraine, Trump has refused to say he backs Ukraine's victory over Russia and has expressed admiration for Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Harris represented the U.S. at Ukraine's global peace summit in Switzerland in June, an international conference centered on Zelensky's 10-point peace formula.
Martin Fornusek
(Updated: )
