Harris slams Trump’s Ukraine 'surrender policy' stance

US Vice President and presidential candidate Kamala Harris met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the White House, where she voiced strong support for Ukraine and indirectly criticised Trump’s proposal for Ukraine to surrender parts of its territory to Russia in exchange for peace.

“There are some in my country who would instead force Ukraine to give up large parts of its sovereign territory," she said, calling such proposals akin to "surrender" rather than peace.

Biden also reiterated his commitment to Ukraine’s defense, stating, “Russia will not prevail. Ukraine will prevail, and we’ll continue to stand by you every step of the way.”

During the meeting, Harris and President Joe Biden affirmed the US's continued commitment to Ukraine in its fight against Russia, with Biden pledging nearly $8 billion in additional military aid, raising the total US assistance to over $175 billion since Russia's invasion in 2022.

Zelensky presented a confidential "victory plan" during the visit, outlining steps to end the war and prevent future conflicts. Specific details of the plan remain undisclosed.

Meanwhile, her Republican opponent, Donald Trump, announced he would meet with Zelensky the following day in New York, despite his critical stance on US military aid to Kyiv.

He claimed that, if elected president, he could quickly broker a peace deal between Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir Putin, a prospect that Ukraine has consistently rejected due to the likelihood it would require ceding territory to Russia.

Trump's position on the war has raised concerns among Republicans and Democrats alike.

Zelensky’s visit earlier in the week to an arms factory in Biden’s hometown of Scranton, Pennsylvania, sparked backlash from congressional Republicans, some of whom accused the Ukrainian ambassador of organizing a partisan political event.

In contrast, Harris emphasized the bipartisan support for Ukraine in Washington, asserting that the US would continue to stand by the nation.

During his White House visit, Zelensky also met with members of Congress and addressed the UN General Assembly. Despite facing a less enthusiastic reception in Washington compared to previous visits, he secured additional US support, including advanced precision-guided weapons, air defenses, and unmanned aerial systems.

Amid the meeting with US officials, Russian President Vladimir Putin issued fresh nuclear warnings, broadening Moscow’s rules for the use of atomic weapons in the event of a "massive" attack on Russian territory.

Biden announced that he will convene a summit of Ukraine’s allies in Germany next month to coordinate continued support for the embattled nation.

While the White House played down the possibility of allowing Ukraine to launch strikes deep into Russian territory, the US remains committed to helping Ukraine defend itself against Russian aggression.

Zelensky expressed gratitude for the continued support, reiterating the importance of Ukraine’s fight for sovereignty and its goal to join the European Union and NATO.

US President Joe Biden announced more than $8 billion in military assistance for Ukraine on September 26 to help Kyiv “win this war” against Russian invaders, using a visit by President Volodymyr Zelenskiy to make a major commitment.

The aid includes the first shipment of a precision-guided glide bomb called the Joint Standoff Weapon, with a range of up to 81 miles (130 km).

The medium-range missile gives Ukraine a major upgrade to the weapons it is using to strike Russian forces, allowing the Ukrainians to do it at safer distances.

The bomb, capable of striking targets with high accuracy, is to be dropped from fighter jets. Biden will not announce that Washington would let Ukraine use US missiles to hit targets deeper in Russia, a US official said.

Supporting Ukraine, which Russia invaded in February 2022, has been a US top priority, Biden said in a statement.