MOSCOW, September 23. /TASS/. Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky’s trip to Pennsylvania in a gesture of support for the Democratic candidate in the US presidential election is tantamount to overt pressure on the electorate, the deputy director of the Institute of CIS countries, Vladimir Zharikhin, has told TASS.

"This trip by Zelensky, who openly favors [US Vice President, Democratic candidate Kamala] Harris, is certainly an act of outright pressure on the voters. The US media outlets, most of which support Harris, will certainly turn a blind eye on this. Moreover, the Department of State will not say a word on this subject. Nevertheless, the hard fact is the leader of a foreign country is openly traveling to one of the US states to campaign for one of the candidates," Zharikhin expert said, noting that Zelensky was making this trip on instructions from Washington.

Pennsylvania is one of the largest centers of heavy industry in the US, including defense industry. The 155 mm artillery shells sent to Ukraine are produced there. During Zelensky's visit, a number of agreements aimed at developing cooperation in energy and defense were signed.

Also, Pennsylvania is a state that plays a crucial role in the US presidential election. Zelensky visited one of the largest shell manufacturing plants in Pennsylvania in the city of Scranton. Workers at such factories tend to vote Republican, but their jobs depend on defense orders guaranteed by the conflict in Ukraine. In 2020, Biden, trying to secure an advantage in Pennsylvania, held his last campaign rally precisely in Scranton.

A post on Zelensky's website reads that Pennsylvania is home to approximately 150,000 Ukrainians (most of them having US citizenship) and Americans of Ukrainian descent. They are more than enough to ensure victory for one of the candidates. Traditionally, the Democrats wish to see the conflict in Ukraine go on, while the Republican candidate, Donald Trump, argues he is for making peace.