US President Joe Biden today assured his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky, whom he welcomed to the White House, that Russia will not prevail in the war against Ukraine.

“Russia will not prevail,” Biden said from the Oval Office, 39 days before a US presidential election that is expected to be lopsided and could largely decide whether to continue military aid to Kiev.

In order to help Ukraine “win this war”, the US president earlier announced military aid worth an estimated $8 billion, but did not give the green light – which Kiev had hoped – to use long-range missiles in attacks against Russian territories.

For his part, Volodymyr Zelensky welcomed the new package of military aid which, he said, would facilitate his country’s “victory” in the war with Russia.

The Ukrainian president will also hold talks with US Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic candidate in the November 5 presidential election, who has promised to continue Biden’s policy of supporting Ukraine.