Biden and Harris to meet with Zelensky at White House after Trump snubs Ukrainian leader

President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris will each meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the White House on Thursday to hear from the Ukrainian leader on his plan for victory in his country’s nearly three-year-old effort to repel Russian invading forces.

Zelensky is scheduled to arrive at the White House in the afternoon for a planned 1.45 pm ET sit-down with Biden in the Oval Office. Harris is set to welcome him to her ceremonial office in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building at 3.25 pm ET.

The Ukrainian leader has been in the United States for the UN General Assembly, where on Wednesday he warned world leaders that Russian president Vladimir Putin is attempting to “break the Ukrainian spirit” by targeting his country’s energy infrastructure. He also cautioned against accepting purported peace deals that would be negotiated without Ukraine having a say.

“Any parallel or alternative attempts to seek peace are, in fact, efforts to achieve an out instead of an end to the war,” he said, adding later that he was skeptical of the “true interest” behind a recent push by China and Brazil to foster an end to the conflict.

“When some propose alternatives, half-hearted settlement plans, so-called sets of principles, it not only ignores the interests and suffering of Ukrainians… it not only ignores reality, but also gives Putin the political space to continue the war,” he said.

Zelensky also toured a Pennsylvania plant where munitions destined for his armed forces are being made. That visit drew anger from Republicans, including House Speaker Mike Johnson, who called for Zelensky to fire the Ukrainian ambassador to the US in response.

The sit-downs between Zelensky and the two American leaders come