Vice President Harris said Thursday that the so-called Ukraine peace plan by “some” Americans was a capitulation offer in talks with the country's leader Volodymyr Zelensky, who is under attack by Republicans this week.
“Some in my country instead demand that Ukraine give up large parts of its sovereign territory, demand that Ukraine accept neutrality, and demand that Ukraine abandon its security ties with other countries.” the president said.
“These proposals are [Russian President Vladimir] President Putin, and let me be clear, these are not proposals for peace. Rather, they are offers of surrender, which are dangerous and unacceptable,” she added.
Ms. Harris and Mr. Zelenskyy spoke Thursday afternoon after the Ukrainian president visited the Capitol to meet with President Biden and meet with a bipartisan group of House and Senate members.
Although Harris did not specifically name any Republicans in her remarks, she did not mention isolationism among some Republicans, such as former President Trump's belief that ending the war should be prioritized over victory in Ukraine. This visit came at a time when things were getting stronger. In her debate with Harris, she declined to say whether she wanted Ukraine to defeat Russia.
Congressional Republicans have become increasingly divided over Ukraine, with many House Republicans aligning themselves with Senate leadership in support of Ukraine, while a growing right-wing group wants to end aid to Kiev.
Ukraine skeptics have become more vocal this week after Zelensky toured a Pennsylvania weapons factory with Democrats and criticized President Trump's running mate, Sen. J.D. Vance (R-Ohio), in a magazine interview. It's increasing.
Democratic presidential candidate Harris aligns with Biden in terms of her unwavering support for Ukraine, and has reiterated this idea during her campaign, setting herself apart from Trump.
“President Putin started this war, and he could end it tomorrow if only he would withdraw his troops from the sovereign territory of Ukraine,” Harris said Thursday.
“Nothing can be decided about ending this war without Ukraine,” Harris added, noting that she has communicated that position to other world leaders.
After attending a summit at the United Nations General Assembly in New York earlier this week, Zelenskiy traveled to Washington to urge the international community to accept his peace plan, which includes the withdrawal of Russian troops from Ukrainian territory.
At the White House, President Zelenskiy laid out his winning plan, which he has been discussing for weeks. He promised to show it not only to Biden and Harris, but also to Republican presidential nominee Trump.
There was no clear indication as of late Thursday afternoon whether Trump would meet with Zelensky this week. claimed President Zelenskyy announced on his social media site Truth Social that he had requested a meeting on Friday.
President Zelenskiy gave few details about his plan for victory, but said on Thursday: “I believe this war can be won.”
“We must continue to put pressure on Russia to stop the war and achieve a truly lasting and just peace.”
White House national security spokesman John Kirby told reporters late Thursday afternoon that he had had a “really good couple of days” with Zelensky this week.
Kirby did not outline the winning plan that President Zelenskiy laid out Thursday, but he said there are “a series of initiatives, steps that President Zelenskiy believes are important” to end the war with Russia and prevent future wars. “It contains goals,” he said broadly.
The meeting between Mr. Zelensky and Mr. Biden took place as Russian forces steadily advanced in eastern Ukraine, leaving Kiev in a precarious position after more than two years of war.
But Thursday's meeting was overshadowed by criticism from Zelensky's Republican Party and Ukraine's ambassador to the U.S., with Republicans not being invited to visit Pennsylvania, which they said was tantamount to a campaign suspension for Democrats, and other Republicans saying Zelensky criticized Vance for calling him a “ditto.” Radical,” in a New Yorker article published Sunday.
In a meeting with lawmakers, President Zelenskiy called on the United States to speed up arms shipments and lift a policy that prohibits Ukraine from conducting deep attacks into Russian territory.
Ahead of the Zelenskiy meeting, the White House had warned that no such reversal was expected, and no announcement was made Thursday.
On Wednesday, President Vladimir Putin issued a new threat to the United States and Western countries, saying Russia could launch a nuclear attack against any country that receives the support of a nuclear-weapon state.
President Putin said Russia could be provoked if a conventional missile attack was directed at Moscow and hid from the United States to avoid lifting a policy that prohibits Ukraine from attacking Russia deeply. It is believed that he was threatened.
Ukraine is seeking a change in policy, especially after Ukrainian forces invaded Russia's Kursk region in early August, which was previously thought to be a possible red line. Kiev argues that allowing long-range missile strikes deep into Russia will stop it from punishing Russian attacks such as glide bombs targeting airfields and military installations.
During his meeting with Zelenskiy, Biden said the United States “stands with Ukraine now and in the future” and vowed that Russia would not win the war.
“We have to ensure that Ukraine has sufficient capabilities, sufficient capabilities, to defend against a future Russian invasion,” Biden said. “So the steps we've taken in our partnership on these fronts. I'm proud of that.''
Ahead of the Zelenskiy meeting, the Biden administration on Thursday announced $5.5 billion in new aid to Ukraine and raised billions from defense stocks. As part of the new aid, Biden promised to establish a Patriot defense squadron in Ukraine and expand F-16 pilot training.
He also said that $2 billion for Ukraine will be purchased through the defense industry.
Mr. Biden received the standard hundreds of millions of dollars because the continuing resolution passed by Congress this week to maintain temporary funding for the federal government through Dec. 20 did not include an extension of Mr. Biden's withdrawal authority. He ordered weapons to be distributed in billions of dollars, not dollars.
The aid is expected to arrive in Ukraine by January 20, the end of Biden's term in office.
