U.S. President Joe Biden is scheduled to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky twice in the coming weeks, first in Normandy, France, and then at the G7 summit in Italy, to discuss Ukraine's ongoing conflict with Russia, the White House announced on Tuesday.
These meetings are particularly significant following criticism directed at Biden for prioritizing an election fundraiser in Hollywood over an upcoming Ukrainian peace summit in Switzerland, where he is set to miss the event in favor of mingling with stars like George Clooney and Julia Roberts.
While in Normandy for the 80th anniversary of the World War II D-Day landings, Biden will have a private meeting with Zelensky. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan informed reporters en route to Paris that this engagement will provide an opportunity for both leaders to discuss the current situation in Ukraine and explore ways to enhance U.S. support for Kyiv.
"He’ll have an engagement with him to talk about the state of play in Ukraine and how we can continue and deepen our support for Ukraine," Sullivan said.
Biden and Zelensky will convene again during the Group of Seven (G7) meeting in Bari, Italy, from June 13-15. This summit will address the use of frozen Russian assets to support Ukraine’s war efforts.
"So, in the course of a little more than a week, the president will have two substantive engagements with President Zelensky," Sullivan added.
However, Biden will not attend the Ukraine summit in Lucerne, Switzerland, immediately following the G7 meeting. Zelensky has expressed concerns that Biden's absence could embolden Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Instead, U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris and National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan will represent the United States at the Swiss summit.
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