(Photo : MANDEL NGAN/AFP via Getty Images)
The US Congress is expected to give the green light to a $45 billion assistance package for Ukraine on Friday, which includes the pledge of Patriot missiles that Zelensky has been requesting.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky returned to Kyiv on Friday following his US trip, with a bold tone stating that his soldiers are "working toward victory."
After Zelensky US visit to clinch a $1.8 billion military assistance package, Zelenskyy stated on Telegram that "we'll overcome everything," AP News reported.
The Netherlands pledged up to 2.5 billion euros ($2.65 billion) until 2023, which the president of Ukraine hailed for helping to fund the purchase of military hardware and the reconstruction of vital infrastructure.
Before going back to Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky spoke with Polish President Andrzej Duda for two hours at the airport in Rzeszow, a significant transit route for Western weaponry entering Ukraine and refugees fleeing Ukraine entering Poland, according to The New York Times. In two days, the Ukrainian president met with two other presidents.
Today's meeting with the President of Ukraine @ZelenskyyUa was not only a great opportunity to send Christmas and New Year wishes to him, his Family and Ukraine, but also gave me an opportunity to discuss strategic plans for actions and cooperation in the upcoming 2023. 🇵🇱🤝🇺🇦 pic.twitter.com/CfKtkChmU1
— Andrzej Duda (@AndrzejDuda) December 22, 2022
Although Volodymyr Zelensky and US President Joe Biden met in the White House, the specific location of their meeting the next day was kept confidential out of a precautionary motive.
Zelensky Returns Amid Russian Attacks
The return of the Ukrainian head of state coincides with ongoing airstrikes, rocket, mortar, and artillery bombardment from Russia on Ukraine's eastern and southern frontiers in the Russia-Ukraine war.
According to Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov, the great ground has been achieved on the demilitarization of Ukraine, and the conflict will finish at the negotiation table after the "special military operation" meets the objectives that Russia has established.
In the last 24 hours, Russian strikes on eight districts in the south and east of Ukraine have resulted in at least five civilian deaths and 18 additional injuries, according to the deputy director of Ukraine's presidential office.
Deputy Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine Kyrylo Tymoshenko reported on Telegram that Russian missiles had damaged a boarding school in the eastern city of Kramatorsk, where the Ukrainian army's regional headquarters were located.
Overnight, battles occurred in the city of Bakhmut in the eastern Donetsk area, wherein Russian troops fired multiple rocket launchers "over 70 times."
US Congress Approves Ukraine Assistance
In other related updates, Reuters reported that the US Congress was anticipated to approve a $45 billion assistance package for Ukraine on Friday following Zelensky's US visit. This comes with the pledge of Patriot missiles to assist in deterring Russia's aggression.
Volodymyr Zelensky has been requesting Patriot missiles for a long time to defend against the constant Russian air raids that have destroyed whole cities, towns, and villages over the past 10 months of the horrific Russia-Ukraine war that damaged water and electricity infrastructure of the European nation.
However, US officials insist that President Joe Biden's promise to provide Ukraine with a single Patriot battery would not alter the war's trajectory.
The United States and its allies have been reluctant to provide Ukraine with cutting-edge weaponry like battle tanks and ATACMS missiles, which have a range that extends far beyond the current combat lines and into Russian territory.
The Democratic-controlled US House of Representatives was expected to pass a package financing the federal government until September 30 on Friday after the Republican-controlled Senate approved $44.9 billion in assistance for Ukraine on Thursday.
However, once the Republicans assume a slim majority in the House early next year, it is uncertain whether their support for Ukraine will persist.
Ukraine is fighting both external and internal corruption in order to show foreign funders that their money will be used wisely.
Related Article: Moscow Blasts Zelensky Washington Visit; Says It Indicates US Proxy War Against Russia Rages On Down 'To The Last Ukrainian'
