Ukraine’s president will travel to Washington, DC, as right-wing Republicans shy away from giving Ukraine more help to fight the Russian invasion.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky will travel to Washington, DC on Monday for meetings at the White House and the United States Capitol, as right-wing US Republicans oppose efforts to send more money to boost Ukraine’s response to Russia’s full-scale invasion to support.

In a statement on Sunday, the White House said US President Joe Biden invited Zelensky to speak about the “vital importance” of continued US support for Ukraine’s defense and the “urgent needs” it faces .

Zelenskyy is also expected to address U.S. senators on Tuesday morning.

An aide to the US House of Representatives Speaker Mike Johnson said Zelensky would also hold a private meeting with Johnson, who has sought to link aid to Ukraine to immigration reforms at the U.S. southern border.

The meetings come as Biden tries to drum up support for a $106 billion military aid plan that will mostly benefit Ukraine and Israel Republicans blocked last week after leaving a classified briefing on Ukraine with calls for border reforms.

Zelensky’s office confirmed the planned meeting with Biden, adding that key topics of discussion will include U.S.-Ukraine defense cooperation, “particularly through joint projects on the production of weapons and air defense systems, as well as coordination of efforts between our countries.” in the coming year”.

Biden has warned about the risk of weakening U.S. support for Ukraine, and Shalanda Young, head of the White House Office of Management and Budget, reiterated those concerns on CBS’ “Face the Nation” on Sunday.

“What happens if Putin marches through Ukraine, what’s next? NATO countries, our sons and daughters, are at risk of becoming part of a larger conflict,” she told the program.

But Republicans remained skeptical and Senator JD Vance, a close ally of former US President Donald Trump who is running for re-election in 2024, rejected the idea that the Russian president would endanger other NATO countries.

On Sunday, he told CNN he opposed what he called a “blank check” for Ukraine.

“What is in America’s best interest is to accept that Ukraine has to cede some territory to the Russians and we have to end the war,” Vance said. Russia occupies about a fifth of Ukraine’s territory.

The funding dispute comes amid signs of weakening Western resolve toward Ukraine after Kiev’s much-touted June offensive failed to make significant progress and Russia deployed more troops and stepped up airstrikes on Ukraine’s infrastructure as temperatures plunged to freezing.

On Monday, the Ukrainian Air Force said air defenses shot down eight Russian missiles aimed at Kiev early Monday morning, with at least two civilians injured by the falling debris.

The White House said Biden’s meeting would come at a crucial time “as Russia steps up its missile and drone attacks against Ukraine.”

The US State Department announced on Wednesday last week a $175 million emergency aid tranche for Ukraine, including HIMARS missiles, grenades, missiles and ammunition.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken emphasized in his defense on Sunday that “Ukraine has done an extraordinary job.”

“The choice is very clear,” he said on ABC. “If we do this and help Ukraine maintain the successes it has achieved, we will contribute to Russia continuing to suffer strategic failure in Ukraine.” That is one way.

“The other way is to do something that is only advocated in Moscow and perhaps in Tehran and Beijing, and that is not to provide this assistance,” he said.