President Volodymyr Zelensky says Ukraine is “alive and kicking” and will never surrender.
He stated this in a defiant address to US lawmakers on his first foreign trip since Russia’s invasion.
Mr Zelensky said US military aid to Ukraine was not charity, but an investment in security for the future.
His appeal comes amid signs US support is likely to face greater scrutiny by Republican lawmakers in Congress.
But President Joe Biden vowed to stick by Ukraine “for as long as it takes”.
Mr Biden pledged a new $2bn aid package and promised another $45bn.
At a joint news conference, Mr Biden told reporters he was “not at all worried” about holding the international coalition together.
Earlier on Wednesday, Mr Putin said he believed his country was not to blame for the war in Ukraine, adding both countries were “sharing a tragedy”.
His spokesman said no calls for peace had been heard during Mr Zelensky’s visit to Washington.
“This indicates that the United States continues its line of de facto and indirectly fighting with Russia to the last Ukrainian,” Dmitry Peskov said.
Since Russia invaded Ukraine on 24 February, the US military estimates that at least 100,000 Russian and 100,000 Ukrainian soldiers have been killed or injured, along with some 40,000 civilian deaths.
The UN has recorded 7.8 million people as refugees from Ukraine across Europe, including Russia.
However, the figure does not include those who have been forced to flee their homes but remain in Ukraine.
BBC
