During a working visit to the United States, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy met for the first time with Speaker of the House of Representatives Mike Johnson, the press service of the President’s Office said.

In particular, the Head of State expressed gratitude to the U.S. Congress for powerful efforts in the protection of Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity.

"Since the first days of full-scale Russian aggression, the U.S. Congress has been providing our country with significant assistance that allows us to effectively counter the aggressor. The bipartisan and bicameral support of the Congress is a very important factor, and we highly appreciate it," the President of Ukraine emphasized.

The Head of State told Johnson about the achievements of Ukraine's defenders, particularly the liberation of 50% of Ukrainian lands occupied by Russia, victories of Ukrainian forces in the Black Sea and great efforts of Ukraine to implement reforms and return our country to economic self-sufficiency in the future. In this context, the President emphasized the importance of continued U.S. support and additional appropriations to help Ukraine in 2024.

He emphasized that our country is using U.S. military and financial aid with utmost responsibility; the Verkhovna Rada has a respective commission that monitors the use of military aid. Ukraine also continues cooperation with representatives of American institutions responsible for providing assistance.

Zelenskyy emphasized that even in the face of Russian aggression, Ukraine continues to implement the reforms necessary to start negotiations on membership in the European Union.