Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is planning to visit Washington, D.C., on Wednesday, for the first trip outside his nation since it was invaded by Russia, sources told Axios and The Associated Press.
At least two congressional sources told AP that Zelensky will be in the U.S. capital to meet with President Biden at the White House and deliver an address to Congress on Capitol Hill.
Capitol security is taking the visit extremely seriously, Axios reports, and is planning to put additional protections in place ahead of Wednesday's address. Zelensky will reportedly thank the United States for the financial assistance it has provided Ukraine, as lawmakers are set to vote on a year-round spending package that includes an additional $45 billion in aid to the country.
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House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) on Tuesday would not confirm Zelensky's visit. However, Axios reported that Pelosi had sent a letter to her House colleagues asking them to "be physically present at our session Wednesday night."
The visit, first reported by Punchbowl News, would be Zelensky's first trip out of Ukraine since the war began this past February, though he has made several high-profile virtual addresses in the 10 months since Russia invaded. However, sources reiterated that the visit has not yet been finalized, and that the circumstances could change due to ongoing security concerns.
