White House: Biden, Zelensky to meet in Washington next week

President Volodymyr Zelensky will meet with his American counterpart Joe Biden in Washington on Sept. 21, U.S. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said at a press briefing.

“This will be their third meeting at the White House, and it certainly comes at a critical time — as Russia desperately seeks help from countries like North Korea for its brutal war in Ukraine and Ukrainian forces continue to make progress in their counteroffensive,” the official told journalists.

The meeting will follow the next Ukraine Defense Contact Group summit at the Ramstein NATO base in Germany, which will be held on Sept. 19.

Sullivan also said that the U.S. should announce another military aid package for Ukraine “at some point next week.”

On Sept. 14, the New York Times reported that Zelensky would visit Washington after his appearance at the United Nations General Assembly, scheduled for Sept. 18-26.

Biden will also address the Assembly, with “ a substantial section of his speech devoted to Ukraine,” according to Sullivan.

Umerov and Austin hold first call, discuss upcoming Ramstein meeting

U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and recently-appointed Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov have held their first phone call, the U.S. Defense Department said on Sept. 11.

The Kyiv IndependentElsa Court