Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he wants President Joe Biden to visit Ukraine as attacks from Russia on the country’s eastern region continue.
When asked by CNN’s “State of the Union” host Jake Tapper whether there were plans with the White House for such a visit, Zelenskyy sidestepped the question but said that he believes Biden will eventually come to Kyiv to witness the damage that Vladimir Putin’s forces have inflicted.
“I think he will, but it’s his decision, of course. And about the safety situation, it depends,” Zelenskyy said. “But I think he’s the leader of the United States, and that’s why he should come here to see.”
Zelenskyy’s comments come after British Prime Minister Boris Johnson made an unannounced visit to Kyiv last week, becoming the most high-profile world leader to visit the besieged capital. Johnson pledged to send more arms to Ukraine in support while the Kremlin responded by barring Johnson and other top British officials from entering Russia.
While the U.S. and other countries have withdrawn financial and trade support from Russia and offered arms and intelligence support to Ukraine in response to the invasion, Zelenskyy has criticized world leaders for not doing enough to stop the “genocide” that Russia is attempting against his country.
“I don’t believe this feeling that we should believe, some countries or some leaders. We don’t believe their words. After escalation of Russia, we don’t believe our neighbors,” he told Tapper. “If you are our friends or partners, give us weapons, give us hands, support us, give us money and stop Russia… You can do it if you’re a friend.”
Watch Zelenskyy’s interview with Tapper in the video above.