Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced during a joint press conference with U.S. President Joe Biden at the White House, during a historic visit to Washington—the first for him abroad since the Russian military operation began in his country on February 24—that Ukraine's acquisition of U.S. Patriot air defense systems "will greatly enhance" its defensive capabilities, emphasizing that this is a very important step toward creating a safe airspace for Ukraine. Zelensky stressed that a just peace does not involve "any compromise" on the territorial integrity of Ukraine.
On his part, President Joe Biden addressed his Ukrainian counterpart, saying, "You will never be alone," indicating his confidence that the Western alliance will remain united behind Ukraine. He added that Russian President Vladimir Putin has no intention of stopping what he described as his barbaric war against Ukraine, calling Putin's actions "horrific," as they target orphanages and schools there. Prior to this, President Biden announced during his reception of President Zelensky that the United States "will continue to enhance Ukraine's ability to defend itself, especially in terms of air defense," while Zelensky expressed gratitude for the "strong support."
