During a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris condemned the notion that Ukraine should relinquish territory to Russia as "dangerous and unacceptable." This statement follows remarks from Republican presidential candidate and former President Donald Trump, who suggested that Ukraine should expedite a deal to end the ongoing conflict. Harris emphasized, “They are not proposals for peace. Instead, they are proposals for surrender.”
While Trump has criticized the substantial military aid provided to Ukraine, Harris reiterated the commitment to continue supporting the country. Trump stated, "We continue to give billions of dollars to a man who refuses to make a deal."
Harris' discussions with Zelensky took place shortly after the Ukrainian leader met with President Joe Biden, who announced additional military aid, including billions of dollars worth of missiles, drones, and ammunition. Among the new provisions are a Patriot missile defense battery and glide bombs that can be launched from Western fighter jets, extending their strike capability. Biden assured Zelensky that all authorized funding for Ukraine would be disbursed before he leaves office, declaring, “We stand with Ukraine, now and in the future. Russia will not prevail. Ukraine will prevail.”
Zelensky was expected to present a plan for ending the war during his meeting with Biden, which included a proposal for a negotiated settlement with Russia and a request for long-range weaponry to target deep into Russian territory. Despite these diplomatic efforts, the conflict continues, with fighting ongoing along a 1,000-kilometer front line more than two years after Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, resulting in tens of thousands of casualties.
In a separate incident, a Russian drone strike on the southern Ukrainian city of Izmail resulted in three fatalities and 11 injuries, including that of a child, according to local authorities in the Odesa region. The early-morning attack was labeled a "large-scale terrorist attack" and caused multiple fires along with significant damage to homes, as reported by Odesa regional governor Oleh Kiper on the Telegram messaging app. Izmail, a vital Danube port for Ukraine, is frequently targeted by Russian airstrikes aimed at disrupting export infrastructure and is situated 93 kilometers from the Black Sea.