Biden promised Zelensky $8 billion in military aid for Kyiv: 'Ukraine will prevail'

(Patria) - US President Joe Biden told his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky that "Ukraine will prevail" after promising nearly $8 billion in military aid, AFP reported.

Biden, with less than four months left in office, is trying to secure as much US support as possible for Ukraine amid a tight presidential race between Democrat Kamala Harris and Republican Donald Trump.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky met with Joe Biden at the White House on Thursday to present his war "victory plan", after the US President announced an increase in military aid of $8 billion for Kyiv's fight against Russia.

But Zelensky's visit was overshadowed by a fierce clash with Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, who stressed that the November US elections could diminish the support Kyiv is receiving from its biggest proponent.

"Russia will not prevail. Ukraine will prevail, and we will continue to stand with you every step of the way," Biden said as he hosted Zelensky in the Oval Office, after thanking him for presenting the so-called victory plan.

Dressed in his signature military-style attire, Zelensky responded that "we deeply appreciate that Ukraine and America have stood shoulder to shoulder".

Biden promised nearly $8 billion in military aid in a statement on Thursday, including $5.5 billion to be approved before the end of the US fiscal year on Monday.

Biden also announced that Washington would supply Ukraine with Joint Standoff Weapon (JSOW) long-range missiles and convened a summit of allies in Germany in October.

But the White House has tempered Ukraine's hopes that Zelensky's visit would achieve his long-standing goal of gaining permission to fire Western-made long-range missiles into Russian territory.

"I do not expect any new announcements on this specific action or a decision to be made from this meeting," said Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre.