Zelenskyy warns US halt in aid would bolster dictatorships

https://ft.com/content/52f-18e1-471e-ab74-4eb01f61a27e

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy warned the US that any wavering in its support for Kyiv would bolster dictatorships around the world, as American funding for Ukraine’s defence against Russia is set to lapse by the end of the month.

“When the free world hesitates, that’s when dictatorships celebrate,” Zelenskyy told the National Defense University in Washington on Monday ahead of meetings planned for Tuesday with US President Joe Biden and congressional leaders.

Zelenskyy’s visit to the US comes at a pivotal moment in Ukraine’s fight against Russian forces, which launched a full-blown invasion of the country in February 2022. While Kyiv’s military performed better than expected early in the conflict, and proceeded to regain some lost territory with the help of western military aid, a counteroffensive to dislodge Moscow’s forces has stalled in recent months.