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Zelenskyy Arrives in U.S. for Critical Talks to Secure Support for Ukraine

Zelenskyy Arrives in U.S. for Critical Talks to Secure Support for Ukraine
Monday 23 September 2024 - 08:02
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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy landed in the U.S. on Sunday for a pivotal visit aimed at securing international backing for Kyiv's efforts to end its conflict with Russia. During this trip, he plans to present his "victory plan" to U.S. President Joe Biden and other key political figures, including Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump. Zelenskyy will also address the United Nations General Assembly. His visit follows months of fierce combat, with Russian forces making significant advances in eastern Ukraine, while Ukrainian troops maintain a presence in parts of Russia’s Kursk region. Despite Kyiv’s ongoing requests for long-range weapons to strike targets within Russia, the West has yet to grant such approval.

In a social media post, Zelenskyy urged his allies to support “a shared victory for a truly just peace.” He emphasized that the upcoming months could determine the war’s trajectory. Ukrainian news outlets later confirmed his arrival in New York, with further meetings in Washington scheduled for later in the week.

Zelenskyy began his U.S. tour with a stop at a Pennsylvania ammunition plant, a crucial supplier of artillery shells for Ukraine. During his visit to the Scranton Army Ammunition Plant, Zelenskyy expressed gratitude, stating simply, “Thank you. And we need more.” The facility, which has ramped up production, has already supplied Ukraine with over three million 155mm shells.

Meanwhile, UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy suggested that negotiations with the U.S. over allowing Ukraine to use Storm Shadow missiles inside Russia are progressing. Speaking at the Labour Party conference in Liverpool, Lammy stressed the importance of "nerve and guts" among Ukraine’s allies. His comments came shortly after UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s meeting with Biden, where the issue remained unresolved.

In a related development, concerns are mounting over disinformation campaigns targeting western companies operating in Ukraine. Fake news websites, registered in the UK but made to resemble trusted British media outlets, have reportedly been disseminating false claims about these businesses. UK lawmakers are now calling for legal reforms to ensure transparency regarding the ownership of such sites. Among those affected is U.S. firm Sarn, which has faced baseless accusations of arms trafficking and fraud on these platforms.

On the battlefield, Russian airstrikes in the southeastern city of Zaporizhzhia injured at least 13 civilians, including a 15-year-old boy, Ukrainian officials reported on Monday. The attacks damaged several apartment buildings, with Russian KAB-guided bombs believed to be responsible. Additionally, overnight strikes in Kharkiv left 21 people injured, following a second night of attacks on the Shevchenkivsky district, according to local authorities.

In eastern Ukraine, a Russian firefighter was killed by a Ukrainian drone in the Russian-occupied Luhansk region. The drone detonated as the firefighter, Vyacheslav Glazunov, was responding to a fire caused by another drone strike. Two other firefighters were injured in the incident.


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