Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba and President Volodymyr Zelensky’s chief of staff Andriy Yermak have arrived in Washington, D.C. on Aug. 4.
According to Kuleba, the Ukrainian delegation is set to hold meetings with U.S. President Joseph Biden’s National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan and Secretary of State Antony Blinken. Kuleba is also set to hold meetings with U.S. senators.
The visit’s main task is to prepare for Zelensky’s visit to the U.S. at the invitation of U.S. President Joseph Biden. The meeting between the two leaders will take place on Aug. 30.
According to Kuleba, Zelensky will be the second European leader to visit the U.S. at Biden’s invitation. Biden hosted German Chancellor Angela Merkel at the White House on July 15.
After Biden’s meeting with Merkel, the U.S. State Department signed an agreement with Germany allowing the completion of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline.
If completed, the pipeline running under the Baltic Sea would allow Russia to bypass Ukraine when transporting gas to European countries, going through Germany instead.
Kuleba said that Zelensky and Biden will have several “crucial topics” to discuss.
“There will be a conversation between the allies who are working together to solve the complex problems of security and prosperity of Ukraine, Europe and the Euro-Atlantic area,” Kuleba wrote on Aug. 4.
Earlier, Zelensky wrote on Twitter that he looks forward to a substantive and productive meeting with Biden.
“We will have a frank and vibrant discussion regarding the serious security threats that Nord Stream 2 poses to Ukraine, peace in Donbas, the de-occupation of Crimea and the economic development,” Zelensky wrote.
Biden and Zelensky have previously spoken twice over the phone on April 2 and June 6.
Zelensky will travel to the U.S. a week after the inaugural Crimean Platform Summit in Kyiv which is scheduled for Aug. 23.
Over 30 countries and international organizations will send their delegates to the event.
Latvian President Egils Levits, Slovak President Zuzana Caputova and President of the European Council Charles Michel have already confirmed their attendance.
The U.S. will be represented by Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg.
