Washington, DC. Volodomyr Zelenskyy, President of Ukraine, visits the United States. During his visit, Zelenskyy met with US President Joe Biden and addressed a joint session of Congress. Three hundred days after Ukraine was invaded by Russia, Zelensky flew to Washington, DC, for talks on possible developments in the coming months and the prospects for a just peace. Shrouded in secrecy until the last minute, the historic visit was laden with symbolism, from Zelensky’s gray, green sweatshirt to President Joe Biden’s blue-and-yellow striped tie to the Ukrainian battle flag unfurled on the floor of the House of Representatives. But the trip was much more than symbolic. Biden would not invite Zelensky to Washington—and undertake a risky trip outside Ukraine for the first time since the war began—if he did not believe something real could be accomplished by meeting face-to-face rather than over the phone. Emerging from their discussions, both men made clear that they see the war entering a new phase. As Russia sends more troops to the front lines and wages a brutal air campaign against civilian targets, fears of a stalemate are growing. However, as Zelensky leaves Washington for a long and equally risky journey back to Ukraine, it’s unclear whether a path to ending the conflict has truly been established.
