President Joe Biden has told President Volodymyr Zelensky that the United States will stand by Ukraine “as long as it takes” to go to war with Russia.
“You will never stand alone,” Mr. Biden told Mr. Zelensky when he visited the White House on his first foreign trip since the Russian invasion began.
Mr Biden confirmed a new package of more than $2 billion ($1.7 billion) for Ukraine and pledged another $45 billion.
Mr. Zielinski expressed gratitude for Washington’s support.
At Wednesday’s joint news conference, Mr. Biden told reporters he was “not worried at all” about keeping the international coalition together.
Amid concerns that some allies may realize the cost of the conflict and disruption to global food and energy supplies, the US president said he felt “very good” about the unification of support for Ukraine.
Mr Biden said Russian President Vladimir Putin had “no intention of stopping this brutal war”.
As Ukraine’s most important ally, the US has already committed $US50 billion ($41 billion) in humanitarian, financial and security aid – more than any other country.
Mr Zelinsky – wearing his trademark combat green sweatshirt and boots – hoped Congress would pass $45 billion in additional aid to Ukraine “to help us defend our values, our values and our freedom”.
Republicans – who will take control of the House of Representatives in January – have warned they will not write a “billion cheque” for Ukraine.
But Mr Zielinski, who traveled on a US Air Force jet from Riszow, Poland, said that “regardless of the changes in Congress”, he was confident there would be bipartisan support for his country.
After the White House meeting, the 44-year-old Ukrainian president addressed a joint session of Congress, where he received a standing ovation.
He told US lawmakers that his country was still standing “against all odds” and predicted a “turning point” in the conflict next year.
Ukraine will never surrender, it said it needs more weapons.
“We have the artillery, yes, thank you,” he told his audience. “Is it enough? Honestly, not really.”
“More cannons and shells are needed for the complete withdrawal of the Russian army,” he added.
At the end of his speech, Mr. Zelinsky presented Congress with a battle flag signed by defenders of Bakhmut, a front-line town in eastern Ukraine that he had visited on his trip to Washington.
The security aid package announced by Washington on Wednesday includes a new Patriot missile system, which will help Ukraine defend its cities from missiles and drones that Russia has fired at key installations.
A rare moment occurred at Wednesday’s news conference when Mr. Zielinski, the former comedian, answered questions from reporters.
