Zelensky meets Duda on his way back to Kyiv
President Volodymyr Zelensky held a meeting with his Polish counterpart Andrzej Duda on Dec. 22 in Rzeszow, Poland. The meeting concludes Zelensky's first foreign trip since Russia launched its full-scale war in February.
"We discussed future strategic plans, bilateral relations, and joint actions at the international level next year," Zelensky said about his meeting with Duda, who he called "a friend of Ukraine."
Rzeszow Airport, located 90 kilometers west of Ukraine's border, has been used by Zelensky to travel to Washington, D.C., a day prior.
In Washington, D.C., Zelensky met with U.S. President Joe Biden and delivered a speech to Congress, thanking the country for support and urging lawmakers to continue assisting Ukraine.
"Your money is not charity. It is an investment in the global security and democracy that we handle in the most responsible way," Zelensky said during his speech on Capitol Hill.
Before the face-to-face meeting with Zelensky, the Biden administration announced a new $1.85 billion military aid package for Ukraine, including the first long-sought Patriot air defense system.
The assistance will include a $1 billion drawdown to provide Ukraine with "expanded air defense and precision-strike capabilities," as well as "an additional $850 million of security assistance," according to U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken.
