WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Volodimir Zelensky is expected to travel to Washington on Wednesday to be received by U.S. President Joe Biden at the White House, a source briefed on the plan said on Tuesday, in what would be the first foreign trip for the Ukrainian president since the start of the war in February.
Volodimir Zelensky is also scheduled to visit the Capitol to meet with congressional leaders and speak at a plenary session, the source added.
The Punchbowl News news site, citing nine sources familiar with the matter, first reported that the Ukrainian president is expected to visit Washington. CNN reported that the White House was making preparations for a meeting with Joe Biden.
Due to security concerns, the move may not take place, or its contours may change, said the source briefed on the preparations.
The spokesman for the Ukrainian president did not immediately confirm this trip.
Earlier on Tuesday, Speaker of the US House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi announced that a session of Congress would take place on Wednesday evening with, she said, a special focus on democracy.
No comment could be obtained immediately from Nancy Pelosi’s services regarding a possible visit by Volodimir Zelensky.
Volodimir Zelensky on Tuesday paid an unexpected visit to Ukrainian troops in Bakhmout, a front line in eastern Ukraine, to highlight Russia’s inability to take control of the city despite repeated offensives.
(Report Patricia Zengerle, Costas Pitas and Kanishka Singh; French version Jean Terzian)
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