During his visit to the United States, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky, in closed-door meetings in Washington, convinced American lawmakers that Kyiv is capable of achieving victory in the war against Russia, Politico reports, citing senators who were present at the talks.
According to the publication’s interlocutors, key topics of discussion were increasing sanctions pressure on Moscow, expanding military assistance to Ukraine, and prospects for peace negotiations. Senator Mike Rounds believes that new restrictions could consolidate the successes of the Armed Forces of Ukraine on the battlefield and force Vladimir Putin to sit down at the negotiating table.
“The entire program is aimed at forcing Putin to sit down at the negotiating table,” emphasized Senator Mike Rounds.
“Zelensky accomplished a feat that a year ago seemed impossible: he convinced Washington that Kyiv can win the war,” Politico notes.
Separately, Zelensky emphasized the need to increase defensive support: discussions included licenses for the production of interceptor missiles for Patriot systems, deliveries of PAC-3, and securing access to Starlink satellite communications for strikes deep into Russian territory.
Senator John Boozman linked the shift in mood in Washington to the successes of Ukrainian forces at the front. According to Politico, support is also growing in Congress for a bill imposing new sanctions on countries that continue to buy Russian oil.
“The unexpected death of Senator Lindsey Graham, Zelensky’s visit, and the changing nature of the war gave a new impetus,” Politico writes.
At the same time, final approval of the sanctions package may be delayed due to the need for consideration in the House of Representatives, and the White House’s position remains unclear for now.
Earlier we wrote:
- New PAC-3 already on the way: Ukraine reached an agreement with the U.S. on a package for the Patriot
- Russia is preparing a new massive strike: Zelensky urged Ukrainians not to ignore alerts
- Washington hesitates, Moscow waits: why Trump is not rushing to squeeze Russia with sanctions
- Trump said in an address to Congress that he received a letter from Zelensky about readiness to negotiate
- Meeting of titans in the U.S.: Will Zelensky’s visit help change the course of the war?
