It was the primary worldwide outing for the President of Ukraine, Volodimir Zelenski, for the reason that begin of the Russian invasion on February 24. A mission deliberate in secret and beneath very sturdy safety measures, with NATO spy and fight planes that escorted him throughout a continuous journey to Andrews Air Force Base, within the US state of Maryland.
The White House despatched a proper invitation to the Ukrainian president on December 14, in keeping with a senior Biden Administration official. Zelensky accepted the invitation to take his first international journey in ten months two days later. It was then that US officers knowledgeable the nonetheless Speaker of the House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi, of the Ukrainian chief’s go to.
Zelensky left kyiv early Wednesday morning for Washington: 7,828 kilometers traveled by prepare and aircraft. He crossed into Poland by prepare, to the station in Przemysl, a border city and the arrival level for a lot of refugees fleeing the battle. From there he traveled by automobile to the Polish city of Rzesow the place a Boeing C-40 Clipper of the US Air Force was ready for him: a US Government aircraft that’s usually used for cupboard secretaries and different positions, in keeping with the Mail on-line. .
Zelensky heads to Washington after touring by prepare to Poland
At 8:15 a.m., the Ukrainian president took off for Washington accompanied by the US ambassador to Ukraine, Bridget Brink, and escorted by a German AWACS spy aircraft, which had left Germany an hour earlier and ensured his security. whereas crossing the North Sea, patrolled by Russian submarines. As Zelensky flew over the UK, a US Army F-15 fighter jet took off from a British airbase as a part of the particular operation. Several American media leaked the information and each the White House and Zelenski himself didn’t verify it till he was out of Ukraine.
After touchdown in Maryland, Zelensky went to the White House, the place he met with President Biden. Later, the Ukrainian president gave a historic speech earlier than the United States Congress. “Ukraine won’t ever give up,” he mentioned throughout a speech in English that lasted about half an hour earlier than the US congressmen, who gave him a four-minute ovation upon his arrival, and during which Zelensky thanked Washington for its financial and army assist, which he described as “investing in world safety”.