Vice President Kamala Harris is headed to Lucerne where she will represent the United States at this month’s global peace summit on the war in Ukraine. The event, organized by Switzerland and promoted by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, will take place from June 15-June 16.
Around the same time, President Joe Biden will be working the campaign trail in Los Angeles, where he will attend a fundraising dinner hosted by George Clooney and Julia Roberts.
“The Vice President will underscore the Biden-Harris Administration’s commitment to supporting Ukraine’s effort to secure a just and lasting peace, based on Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity,” said Kirsten Allen, Harris’ communications director, adding that “reaffirm support for the people of Ukraine as they defend themselves against ongoing Russian aggression.”
National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan will be with Harris as part of the U.S. delegation. Leading up to the event, Zelenskyy has vigorously promoted the summit, calling on world leaders to attend, while reproving Russia, with China’s aid, of trying to sabotage the event.
When asked on Monday if the president was sending the wrong message globally by opting for a star-studded California fundraiser over the peace summit, White House national security spokesman John Kirby fired back “there hasn’t been any single leader around the world who has supported Ukraine more and more stridently than Joe Biden.”
He further added that Harris will attend “because of our desire to be represented around that table” and her being there will better demonstrate that “Ukraine has no stronger backer than the United States.”
“No matter who represents the United States at this summit,” Kirby said during a virtual briefing with reporters, “It can’t be said that the United States has in any way walked away from supporting Ukraine.”
Meanwhile, Zelenskyy said: “Russia, using Chinese influence in the region, using Chinese diplomats also, does everything to disrupt the peace summit,” he said, without elaborating. “This is unfortunate that such a big independent powerful country as China is an instrument in the hands of (Russian leader Vladimir) Putin.”
