President Joe Biden on Friday apologized to Volodymyr Zelensky for the way hardline Republicans delayed a $61 billion package of funding for months earlier this year and promised that the U.S. would continue to stand with Ukraine in its time of need.
'We're still in ... completely, thoroughly,' Biden told his Ukrainian counterpart during their meeting at a Paris hotel.
Both leaders are in the French capital after Thursday's 80th anniversary of D-Day, which proved a chance to underline international alliances against totalitarianism.
Washington is Kyiv's biggest supplier of weapons and cash by far at a time when Ukraine faces an intensified Russian offensive in the east. But isolationist Republicans, urged on by former President Donald Trump, have at times hamstrung efforts to get funding bills through Congress.
'You continue to fight in a way that is just remarkable. It's remarkable. And we're not going to walk away from you,' said Biden.
President Joe Biden met with his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky in a Paris hotel on Friday and promised that the U.S. would continue to stand with his country
'I apologize for the weeks of not knowing what's going to happen in terms of funding because we had trouble getting the bill passed ... had the money... some of our very conservative members were holding it.
'But we got it done finally.'
As a result of the delays, Russia has sought to capitalize on Ukrainian weapons shortages with its new push along more than 600 miles of front line.
On Thursday Washington announced it will send another $225 million of aid, including munitions for the High Mobility Artillery Rocket System, mortar systems and artillery rounds.
And in their meeting, Biden said he would sign a $225 million package to help rebuild the country's electricity grid which has been shattered by months of bombardment.
For his part, Zelensky thanked Biden for U.S. support and said he would use their meeting to update his counterpart on the state of fighting.
'it's very important that in this unity, the United States America, all American people stay with Ukraine, like it was during World War Two, how United States helped to save human lives, to save Europe,' said.
'And we count on your continuing support and standing with us shoulder to shoulder.'
Firefighters in Kherson, Ukraine, battle fires triggered by Russian shelling on June 6
President Joe Biden used the D-Day commemorations to underline the importance of alliances
He also seemed to refer to Biden's recent decision to allow Ukraine to use American weapons to strike inside Russia, and hinted that he wanted more freedom to use them in the defense of Kharkiv.
'Your decisions have had a very positive influence,' he said.
'I don’t want to share everything, all the details with press, sorry, but there are some details on the battlefield that you need to hear from us.'
This week, French President Emmanuel Macron announced that France will provide Ukraine with its Mirage combat aircraft.
The American president and his Ukrainian counterpart were both in Normandy a day earlier for the 80th anniversary of D-Day, their planes parked next to each other at Caen airport.
Biden used the occasion to warn against the perils of isolationism and to underline his commitment to Ukraine.
President Zelensky had an emotional meeting with D-Day veteran Melvin Hurwitz, 99, a former US Air Force pilot. 'You saved Europe,' he told Hurwitz
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and French President Emmanuel Macron link hands as they arrive at the ceremony. France said this week it will send Mirage fighter jets to Kyiv
'Isolationism was not the answer 80 years ago and is not the answer today,' Biden said in his speech at the U.S. cemetery overlooking Omaha Beach, triggering his biggest round of applause.
'We will not walk away,' Biden said. 'Because if we do, Ukraine will be subjugated and it will not end there.'
Zelensky shared a touching moment with a D-Day veteran during his visit. When 99-year-old Melvin Hurwitz told him, 'You're the savior of the people,' Zelensky quickly bent to embrace him, saying: 'No, no, no. You saved Europe.'
The Ukrainian president was feted by world leaders at the international ceremony commemorating the D-Day landings.
Macron said: 'We are all children of the landings.
'When we look at those who want to change borders by force to rewrite history, let us stand with dignity and look at those who landed here. Let us have their courage.
'Here, President of Ukraine, your presence here today shows us this in a very forceful way.'
