Live Updates: Biden welcomes Zelenskyy to White House - CBS News

In little opening remarks done a translator, Zelenskyy reiterated the intent of his sojourn to Washington — to convey Mr. Biden and Congress for providing bicameral and bipartisan enactment for continued assistance to Ukraine.

"This sojourn to the United States became a historical one," the Ukrainian president said. "In the past [300] days of this war, we person started a caller look of our inter-relations with the United States. We became existent partners and allies."

Zelenskyy said helium hopes to guarantee Ukraine continues to combat Russia from a presumption of spot arsenic it enters the 2nd twelvemonth of the war, and urged Congress to o.k. the $45 cardinal assistance to his state included successful the $1.7 trillion omnibus package.

"Every dollar of this concern from the United States is going to strengthening of planetary security," helium said. "I cognize that the American enactment volition beryllium beardown and volition play an important relation …and the United States volition assistance america to support our values and independence."

Noting the alteration of enactment power of the House successful the coming weeks, erstwhile Republicans volition instrumentality clasp of the little chamber, Zelenskyy said helium is assured determination volition beryllium bipartisan enactment for further assistance to Ukraine. 

"We request to past this winter. We request to support our people," helium said.

Zeleskyy reiterated his characterization of Russia arsenic a "terrorist country" and the request for Russia to beryllium held accountable for its aggression against guiltless Ukrainian people.

"Glory to Ukraine," helium said to reason his opening remarks. 

Mr. Biden opened up the associated property league with Zelenskyy by noting the 2 person been successful adjacent connection passim this conflict, and said it's peculiarly meaningful to "look each different successful the eye" successful idiosyncratic for the archetypal clip since Russia launched its battle connected Ukraine. 

"As we caput into the caller year, it's important for the American radical and for the satellite to perceive straight from you, Mr. President, astir Ukraine's fight, and the request to proceed to basal unneurotic passim 2023," Mr. Biden told Zelenskyy. 

Mr. Biden told the Ukrainian radical they person stood beardown successful the look of autocrats, adding that Americans from "every locomotion of life" person provided "unequivocal" and "unbending" enactment for the radical of Ukraine.

More than 50 nations person committed tanks, artillery systems and billions of dollars to marque definite Ukraine has the subject and humanitarian resources it needs, the president said.

"From the precise beginning, the United States rallied allies and partners from astir the satellite to basal beardown with Ukraine" and enforce "unprecedented" sanctions connected Russia, Mr. Biden said. 

Mr. Biden said Ukraine's show connected the battlefield has stymied Russia's efforts and shattered expectations, adjacent arsenic Putin has "no intention" to halt the "brutal" war.

"We should beryllium wide astir what Russia is doing — it is purposefully attacking Ukraine's captious infrastructure, destroying the systems that supply vigor and airy to the Ukrainian radical during the coldest, darkest portion of the year. Russia is utilizing wintertime arsenic a weapon," the president said.

Still, "Ukraine has won the conflict of Kyiv, has won the conflict of Kherson, has won the conflict of Kharkiv," helium noted. "Ukraine has defied Russia's expectations astatine each azygous turn."

The president said helium "looks forward" to signing Congress' omnibus spending bill, which includes $45 cardinal successful further enactment for Ukraine.

The 2 satellite leaders began their bilateral gathering successful the Oval Office with Mr. Biden saying he's honored to beryllium astatine Zelenskyy's side. 

Mr. Biden said it's hard to judge it's been 300 days since Russia launched its battle connected the Ukrainian people. Mr. Biden said Russian President Vladimir Putin is trying to usage "winter arsenic a weapon." 

"The Ukrainian radical proceed to animate the world. I mean that sincerely. Not conscionable animate america but animate the satellite with their courageousness and however they person [shown] the resilience and resoluteness for their future," the president said.

The American people, Democrats and Republicans alike, basal proudly with Ukrainians, Mr. Biden said. 

"We're going to proceed to fortify Ukraine's quality to support itself, peculiarly aerial defense," Mr. Biden said, adding that's wherefore the U.S. is giving Ukraine the Patriot rocket defence system. 

Mr. Biden called Zelenskyy the antheral of the twelvemonth successful the U.S., referencing the designation bestowed upon Zelenskyy by Time magazine.

For his part, Zelenskyy said helium wanted to marque the travel sooner but the concern was excessively difficult. He expressed his appreciation for the United States' enactment nether Mr. Biden's leadership. He besides expressed his gratitude to Congress for approving funding. 

"Thanks from mean radical to your mean people, Americans. I truly admit it," Zelenskyy said. 

Zelenskyy past presented Mr. Biden with a Ukrainian captain's combat award, saying the worker wanted Mr. Biden to person it.

President Joe Biden holds a Ukrainian soldier's medal presented to him by Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy successful the Oval Office connected Dec. 21, 2022.  Oliver Contreras/Sipa/Bloomberg via Getty Images

"Undeserved, but overmuch appreciated," Mr. Biden said of the soldier's grant helium was being given. 

Mr. Biden said helium and his precocious seasoned son, Beau Biden, had a contented of giving each different situation coins. He said helium would springiness 1 for Zelenskyy to walk on to the soldier. 

Mr. Biden and archetypal woman Jill Biden welcomed the Ukrainian president to the White House connected the South Lawn soon aft 2 p.m. up of the leaders' 2:30 p.m. meeting. 

Both the American and the Ukrainian emblem adorned the White House arsenic Zelenskyy emerged from an SUV, wearing an olive-green sweatshirt.

Zelenskyy shook hands with the Bidens and posed for a photograph earlier Mr. Biden, 1 limb astir Zelenskyy's shoulder, ushered him inside. 

A White House authoritative confirmed Zelenskyy has landed successful the U.S. Events scheduled for the day are acceptable to beryllium connected time, the authoritative said.

Zelenskyy shared photos connected Instagram of his accomplishment astatine Joint Base Andrews successful Maryland, wherever helium was met by Rufus Gifford, main of protocol for the U.S., and Ukrainian Ambassador to the U.S. Oksana Markarova.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy arrives successful the U.S. connected Wednesday, Dec. 21, 2022. Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Instagram

"I americium successful Washington contiguous to convey the American people, the President and the Congress for their much-needed support. And besides to proceed practice to bring our triumph closer," Zelenskyy wrote successful a caption accompanying the photos. "I volition clasp a bid of negotiations to fortify the resilience and defence capabilities of Ukraine. In particular, we volition sermon bilateral practice betwixt Ukraine and the United States of America with US President Joseph Biden."

He continued: "Next year, we indispensable instrumentality the Ukrainian emblem and state to our full land, to each our people."

As Zelenskyy arrived successful the U.S., the Senate overwhelmingly confirmed Lynne Tracy arsenic U.S. ambassador to Russia successful a 93 to 2 vote. GOP Sens. Mike Lee of Utah and Rand Paul of Kentucky opposed the nomination.

Tracy replaces John Sullivan arsenic the apical American diplomat successful Russia. Sullivan, who was appointed to the station by erstwhile President Donald Trump, stepped down arsenic ambassador successful September. 

A vocation subordinate of the Foreign Service, Tracy was astir precocious U.S. ambassador to Armenia, and served arsenic elder advisor for Russia Affairs astatine the State Department's Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs and lawman main of ngo astatine the U.S. Embassy successful Moscow.

Ahead of the confirmation vote, Schumer highlighted the Senate's timing for approving Tracey arsenic ambassador earlier Zelenskyy's code and said it underscores U.S. enactment for Ukraine.

"By passing this omnibus and by confirming a caller ambassador, we tin nonstop President Zelenskyy backmost to Ukraine with the connection that the Senate, the Congress and the American radical basal unequivocally down the radical of Ukraine, and we're backing that up with existent dollars and existent resources," helium said, referencing the $1.7 trillion spending bundle that includes $45 cardinal successful assistance to Ukraine.

The State Department said the caller U.S. assistance bundle would full $1.85 billion, comprising $1 cardinal successful caller backing approved by the White House and $850 cardinal from the Defense Department. 

Secretary of State Antony Blinken confirmed the latest circular of subject assistance volition see the Patriot aerial defence system, which is effectual successful bringing down cruise missiles, abbreviated scope ballistic missiles and aircraft. The exertion is thing Ukraine has agelong asked for, particularly arsenic Russia has ramped up its aerial assaults.

Blinken utilized his "drawdown" authorization delegated by the president to merchandise $1 cardinal successful backing that Congress has already approved. 

In summation to the Patriot system, the assistance bundle includes hundreds of thousands of artillery rounds and mortars; 37 mine-resistant vehicles; 2,700 grenade launchers and tiny arms; and "Joint Direct Attack Munitions," which the State Department said would supply "the Ukrainian Air Force with enhanced precision onslaught capabilities against Russia's invading forces."

The U.S. has provided astir $22 cardinal successful subject assistance to Ukraine unsocial since the warfare began, connected apical of tens of billions of dollars successful fiscal and humanitarian assistance.

In a missive to colleagues, Speaker Nancy Pelosi urged each members of the House to be Zelenskyy's code successful the House chamber, saying the code volition beryllium "etched into past arsenic good arsenic portion of your legacy."

"As the combat for state successful Ukraine wages on, we look guardant to proceeding his inspiring connection of courage, unity and determination," the talker said.

Pelosi said the evening is "fraught with meaning for me."

"My father, Congressman Thomas D'Alesandro, Jr., was a Member of the House successful 1941 erstwhile Winston Churchill came to the Congress connected the time aft Christmas to enlist our nation's enactment successful the combat against tyranny successful Europe," she wrote. "Eighty-one years aboriginal this week, it is peculiarly poignant for maine to beryllium contiguous erstwhile different heroic person addresses the Congress successful a clip of warfare — and with Democracy itself connected the line."

The talker noted that determination "will beryllium nary guests allowed successful the House Gallery – with the objection of authoritative guests of President Zelenskyy."

CBS News overseas argumentation and nationalist information contributor H.R. McMaster joined Errol Barnett and Aziza Schuler to sermon what's astatine involvement for Ukraine arsenic President Volodymyr Zelenskyy travels to Washington to conscionable with Mr. Biden and code Congress. Watch his investigation successful the video below:

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer hailed the upcoming accomplishment of Zelenskyy to the U.S., calling him an "ambassador of freedom" and highlighting that the Ukrainian person volition present his remarks from the aforesaid spot British Prime Minister Winston Churchill himself delivered a wartime address to U.S. lawmakers successful 1941.

"This volition beryllium a time to retrieve successful the past of the United States Congress erstwhile we invited President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine," said Schumer, wearing Ukraine's colors of bluish and yellow. "It's ever a precocious grant to invited a overseas caput of authorities to Congress, but it's astir unheard of to perceive from a person who is warring for his life, warring for his country's survival, and warring to sphere the precise thought of democracy. It shows the value President Zelenskyy places connected america continuing to springiness robust help."

The sojourn by Zelenskyy, who volition code lawmakers successful a associated gathering Wednesday evening, comes arsenic the Senate is moving toward a ballot connected last transition of the omnibus package, which includes $45 cardinal for Ukraine. Schumer noted the Ukrainian leader's accomplishment comes astatine a "crucial moment" for the Senate, and helium urged his colleagues to implicit their enactment swiftly.

The New York Democrat besides encouraged House Republicans to be Zelenskyy's code to perceive him "describe the fearfulness his radical person endured astatine the hands of Vladimir Putin." While exigency assistance to Ukraine has mostly received wide bipartisan enactment successful the Senate, immoderate GOP members of the House person balked astatine sending much U.S. dollars to the country. 

That opposition, and with Republicans poised to instrumentality power of the House adjacent month, has led to uncertainty arsenic to whether much assistance packages for Ukraine would triumph support from the adjacent Congress.

"I anticipation that Donald Trump's relationship with Putin is not motivating House Republicans to crook a unsighted oculus to Ukraine's suffering and hopeless request for help," Schumer said. "Because the alleged relationship betwixt Putin and Trump was a sour narration that was profoundly damaging to our state and to the planetary order."

The bulk person praised the occurrence of Ukrainian fighters successful forcing Russia's retreat from cardinal cities and said it shows "American enactment is working."

"To date, our backing has enactment much weapons successful Ukrainian hands and much victories nether their belt," Schumer said.

Mr. Biden formally extended an invitation to Zelenskyy past Wednesday, and helium accepted past Friday. Pelosi's bureau was informed of the sojourn implicit the weekend, mounting successful question elaborate plans for Wednesday's large events. CBS News elder White House and governmental analogous Ed O'Keefe reports:

Mr. Biden responded to the Ukrainian president's tweet, saying helium is "thrilled to person you here":