Ahead of Biden-Zelensky meeting, Kremlin says new US aid to Kyiv will be 'fiasco'

Ahead of Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky meeting with US President Joe Biden to demand greater military support, the Kremlin declared on Tuesday that any additional US aid to Kyiv will be a “fiasco”. “It is important for everyone to understand: the tens of billions of dollars pumped into Ukraine did not help it gain success on the battlefield,” AFP quoted Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov as saying. “The tens of billions of dollars that Ukraine wants to be pumped with are also headed for the same fiasco,” Peskov added. President Biden is all set to host Zelensky at the White House Tuesday as discussions on a Ukraine aid deal remain stalled in Congress. The visit, which the White House announced on Sunday, is Zelensky’s third visit to Washington since the war in Ukraine began. He last visited in September. Zelensky’s visit comes at a critical moment in congressional negotiations for emergency aid to Ukraine. Congress appears no closer to a deal tying immigration and border policy changes to the emergency aid package that will provide funding for Ukraine and Israel before lawmakers leave town for the holidays. The Ukrainian president was also invited to speak at an all-senators meeting Tuesday morning by Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Republican Leader Mitch McConnell, a Senate leadership aide said. House Speaker Mike Johnson will meet with Zelensky too, his office said in a statement. The White House meeting is meant to “underscore the United States’ unshakeable commitment to supporting the people of Ukraine as they defend themselves against Russia’s brutal invasion,” press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said in a statement. “As Russia ramps up its missile and drone strikes against Ukraine, the leaders will discuss Ukraine’s urgent needs and the vital importance of the United States’ continued support at this critical moment,” she said. The pair will discuss “further defense cooperation” in a series of meetings Tuesday, the office of the Ukrainian presidency said in a statement Sunday. With inputs from agencies