Biden to meet Zelenskyy in France and G7 Summit in Italy

This week, US President Joe Biden will meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Normandy, France.

They will meet again during the G7 Summit in Italy to discuss the war that Kyiv is waging against the Russian invasion, according to a White House official.

This dual support comes after Biden faced criticism for announcing that he would not attend the Ukrainian peace summit scheduled to be held in Switzerland, instead opting to attend a fundraising event with Hollywood stars George Clooney and Julia Roberts.

National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan, accompanying the president aboard Air Force One to Paris, told reporters that Biden "will have the opportunity to meet with President Zelenskyy" while in Normandy this week for the 80th anniversary of the D-Day landings in World War II.

Sullivan noted that Biden will discuss the current situation and how to continue and deepen support for Ukraine.

Sullivan also revealed that Biden is scheduled to meet Zelenskyy again during the G7 Summit in Bari, Italy, from June 13 to 15, which will focus on using frozen Russian funds to support Ukraine's war effort.

Sullivan told reporters, "In just over a week, the president will hold two important meetings with President Zelenskyy."

However, Biden will not attend the Ukraine Summit in Switzerland, which follows the G7 Summit directly. Zelenskyy considered Biden's absence as strengthening the position of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

AFP