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US provides military aircraft for Zelensky’s visit to Washington

Ukrainian President was accompanied by US Ambassador to Ukraine Bridget Brink and was welcomed at the airport by Ukrainian Ambassador to Washington Oksana Markarova

NEW YORK, December 21. /TASS/. The United States sent a military aircraft to arrange Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky’s visit to Washington, where he plans to address a joint session of Congress, CNN reported on Wednesday citing own sources.

After Zelensky’s arrival in Washington, CNN showed footage of the Ukrainian president getting off a transport plane with the ‘United State of America’ written on its fuselage. According to the television channel, Zelensky was also escorted by US-provided security guards during his journey.

Zelensky was accompanied by US Ambassador to Ukraine Bridget Brink and was welcomed at the airport by Ukrainian Ambassador to Washington Oksana Markarova. Earlier, Zelensky crossed the Ukrainian border with Poland by train.

US National Security Council Coordinator for Strategic Communications John Kirby said in an interview with CNN that the US is "working in lockstep with him [Zelensky] and his staff to make sure we can make this trip safely, both coming to the United States and coming back."

The US administration announced earlier that Zelensky was expected to meet with President Joe Biden on Wednesday to have a strategic discussion on the way ahead on the battlefield, the US military aid to Kiev and the West’s anti-Russian sanctions. Later, Zelensky is expected to address a joint session of Congress.