President Biden and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky met to discuss the countries’ bilateral relations and Ukraine’s tensions with Russia and aspirations to join the West, addressing a simmering foreign policy challenge for Mr. Biden in the wake of the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan.

Earlier in the day, Mr. Biden said on Twitter that the meeting would serve “to reaffirm America’s commitment to Ukraine’s sovereignty, territorial integrity, and Euro-Atlantic aspirations”.

“The partnership between our nations grows stronger and its going to become even stronger”, - Mr. Biden said, noting the two countries had a “similar value system” that included a commitment to a Europe that was “whole, free and at peace”.

Mr. Zelensky, for his part, thanked the United States for a new USD 60 million defense aid package and said he wanted to focus on security issues, including the Russian occupation of Crimea.

During the meeting, Mr. Biden also told Mr. Zelensky that he wanted to travel to Ukraine, which no American president has visited since President George W. Bush in 2008. Mr. Biden visited Ukraine regularly as vice president.