Biden apologizes to Zelensky for congressional gun hold-up

PARIS — U.S. President Joe Biden on Friday publicly apologized for the first time to Ukraine for a month-long congressional delay in U.S. military assistance that allowed Russia to make gains on the field. battle, as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called for bipartisan support from the United States “as was the case during World War II.” Second war.

Speaking in Paris, a day after they both attended ceremonies marking the 80th anniversary of the Normandy landings, Biden apologized to the Ukrainian people for weeks spent not knowing whether additional aid would come as the conservative Republicans in Congress brandished a sum of 61 dollars. a billion-dollar military aid package for Ukraine for six months.

The Democratic president nevertheless insisted that the American people would stand by Ukraine for the long term. “We’re still there. Completely. Thoroughly,” he said.

The apology — and Zelensky's call for strong support, similar to that of the allied coalition during World War II — served as a reminder that for all Biden's talk of unwavering U.S. commitment to Ukraine, the Congressional Republican recalcitrance and an isolationist strain in American politics led to Russian gains on the battlefield. And, although it wasn't discussed, the specter of Donald Trump's candidacy loomed over discussions, with the former Republican president and presumptive nominee speaking positively about Russian President Vladimir Putin and raising concerns about Ukraine , who feared that he would ask him to cede territory to end the war. conflict.

Zelensky urged all Americans to support his country's defense against the Russian invasion, and he thanked lawmakers for finally coming together to approve the arms package, which allowed Ukraine to stem the Russian advances in recent weeks.

“It is very important that in this unity of the United States of America, all Americans remain with Ukraine as was the case during World War II,” Zelensky said. “How the United States helped save lives and save Europe. And we count on your continued support to stand with us side by side.”

The United States is by far the largest provider of wartime support to kyiv, and Ukraine is trying to repel an intense Russian offensive in the country's eastern regions. The push is focused on Ukraine's border regions of Kharkiv and Donetsk, but Ukrainian officials say it could expand as Russia's larger army seeks to press its advantage.

The offensive seeks to exploit kyiv's shortage of ammunition and troops along the roughly 1,000-kilometer (620-mile) front line.

The slow delivery of promised Western weapons has long frustrated Zelensky, as has Biden's hesitance to provide more equipment for fear of provoking Russian President Vladimir Putin. This caused tension in their relationship.

The United States will send about $225 million in military aid to Ukraine, Biden announced Friday. The latest package includes munitions for the High Mobility Artillery Rocket System, or HIMARS, as well as mortar systems and a series of artillery shells, U.S. officials said Thursday.

During his meeting with Zelensky, Biden framed the additional aid as money to “rebuild the power grid” in Ukraine, a reference his aides said to additional air defense and missile defense systems in the new pack.

Softening their stance amid the most recent Russian attack and with Ukraine's military reeling, some NATO allies, including the United States, said last week they would allow Ukraine to use the weapons they deliver to Kiev to carry out limited attacks inside Russia.

The move sparked a furious response from the Kremlin, which warned that Europe's biggest conflict since World War II could spiral out of control.

Biden and Zelenskyy attended D-Day anniversary events in Normandy, northern France, on Thursday alongside European leaders who supported kyiv's efforts in the war. Biden promised “we will not walk away” from Ukraine, drawing a direct link between the fight to liberate Europe from Nazi rule and the current war against Russian aggression.

Ukraine describes its fight against Kremlin forces as a clash between Western democratic freedom and Russian tyranny. Russia says it is defending itself against a threatening eastward expansion of the NATO military alliance.

In a 20-minute speech Friday to the National Assembly, the lower house of France's parliament, Zelensky drew parallels with the sacrifices made during World War II and his country's current fight.

“This battle is a crossroads,” Zelensky said. “A moment when we can now write history as we need it. Or we can become victims of history as it pleases… our enemy.”

Zelensky, who spoke in Ukrainian, was frequently interrupted by applause and cheers from lawmakers. He drew a standing ovation when he said in French: “Dear France, thank you for standing with us as we defend life. »

French President Emmanuel Macron announced Thursday evening that France would provide Ukraine with its Mirage fighter jet.

Macron is a strong supporter of Ukraine. He said in February that sending Western troops on the ground in Ukraine was not “out of the question.”

Zelensky began his day of meetings in Paris with an official welcome ceremony at the golden-domed Les Invalides monument, site of Napoleon's tomb.

During the day, Zelensky was scheduled to visit the Nexter weapons factory in Versailles, which manufactures the Caesar self-propelled howitzers that are among the weapons supplied by France to kyiv's forces.

He was also due to meet Macron at the Élysée.

Zelensky's foreign trips are aimed at keeping Ukraine's plight in the public eye, securing more military aid for his fight against the Russian invasion, and securing long-term Western support through bilateral alliances.

France and Ukraine signed a 10-year bilateral security agreement in February. Zelensky has since signed similar bilateral agreements with many European countries.