AP

Jill Biden, Ukraine’s first lady meet again, this time at WH

Jul 19, 2022, 10:12 AM | Updated: 4:41 pm

President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden greet Olena Zelenska, spouse of Ukrainian's President...

President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden greet Olena Zelenska, spouse of Ukrainian's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the White House in Washington, Tuesday, July 19, 2022. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)

(AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)

WASHINGTON (AP) — Jill Biden and Olena Zelenska, the first lady of Ukraine, met again Tuesday, this time at the White House, following up after their first-ever meeting in eastern Europe on Mother’s Day.

President Joe Biden, who has said the United States will support Ukraine in its fight against Russia for “as long as it takes,” helped his wife welcome Zelenska, the wife of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, as her black SUV rolled to a stop on the driveway. He gave her a bouquet that included sunflowers, Ukraine’s national flower.

The women embraced and posed for press photos before going inside, where the administration briefed Zelenska on how the U.S. is trying to help Ukrainians who are suffering mentally and emotionally from the war.

Zelenska is on a high-profile visit to Washington this week.

“It’s so nice to see you again, since I last saw you,” Jill Biden said. She recalled their May 8 meeting, held when the U.S. first lady was traveling in eastern Europe and drove from Slovakia into western Ukraine to meet with Zelenska, who at that point had not been seen publicly since Russian President Vladimir Putin launched his attack on Ukraine in late February.

Biden visited Romania and Slovakia in May in a public show of support for Ukrainians, mostly women and children, who had fled to those countries after Russia’s invasion.

“When I came back, one of the things that I said was you cannot go to a war zone and come back and not feel the sorrow and pain of the people that I met,” Biden said, recalling that Zelenska had introduced her to many refugees.

“You asked me then to talk about mental health issues, and so I came back and I talked to my team,” Biden said. She said she had sent Zelenska a letter outlining “what we’re doing to help with mental health for the mothers and the children who have really, clearly suffered such tragedy, and the atrocities.”

Biden, joined in the Blue Room by Linda Thomas-Greenfield, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, and other administration officials, said they would take turns updating Zelenska on how their agencies are helping. Doug Emhoff, Vice President Kamala Harris’ husband, participated.

Zelenska did not speak while American and Ukrainian journalists were in the room.

When Jill Biden concluded her brief opening remarks, she remembered Zelenska’s translator and asked, “Is that too long?”

Before she arrived at the White House, Zelenska accepted a human rights award Tuesday on behalf of the Ukrainian people in recognition of their fight for freedom from Russia. The Dissident Human Rights Award was presented by the Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation.

“It is an honor to be here and accept this award in the name of every Ukrainian man and woman fighting Russian aggression today,” Zelenska said through a translator.

Zelenska’s White House visit followed meetings Monday with Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Samantha Power, administrator of the U.S. Agency for International Development.

On Wednesday, she is scheduled to address members of Congress in an auditorium at the Capitol, following a similar appearance by her husband at an earlier point in the war.

Zelenska had largely disappeared with the couple’s two children during the war’s opening months, and has been raising her public profile since she emerged from seclusion for the Mother’s Day meeting with Biden.

Zelenskyy discussed his wife’s trip to Washington in his nightly address to Ukrainians, saying she will speak to Congress on behalf of all Ukrainian mothers and women.

“And I really believe that it will be heard by those on whom decision-making in the U.S. depends,” he said.

Copyright © The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


              President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden greet Olena Zelenska, spouse of Ukrainian's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the White House in Washington, Tuesday, July 19, 2022. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)
            
              President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden greet Olena Zelenska, spouse of Ukrainian's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, at the White House in Washington, Tuesday, July 19, 2022. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)
            
              President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden greet Olena Zelenska, spouse of Ukrainian's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the White House in Washington, Tuesday, July 19, 2022. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)
            
              President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden greet Olena Zelenska, spouse of Ukrainian's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the White House in Washington, Tuesday, July 19, 2022. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)
            
              President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden greet Olena Zelenska, spouse of Ukrainian's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, at the White House in Washington, Tuesday, July 19, 2022. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)
            
              President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden greet Olena Zelenska, spouse of Ukrainian's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the White House in Washington, Tuesday, July 19, 2022. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)
            
              President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden greet Olena Zelenska, spouse of Ukrainian's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the White House in Washington, Tuesday, July 19, 2022. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)
            
              President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden greet Olena Zelenska, spouse of Ukrainian's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, at the White House in Washington, Tuesday, July 19, 2022. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)
            
              President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden greet Olena Zelenska, spouse of Ukrainian's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the White House in Washington, Tuesday, July 19, 2022. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)
            
              President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden greet Olena Zelenska, spouse of Ukrainian's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the White House in Washington, Tuesday, July 19, 2022. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)
            
              President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden greet Olena Zelenska, spouse of Ukrainian's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, at the White House in Washington, Tuesday, July 19, 2022. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)
            
              President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden greet Olena Zelenska, spouse of Ukrainian's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the White House in Washington, Tuesday, July 19, 2022. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)
            
              President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden greet Olena Zelenska, spouse of Ukrainian's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the White House in Washington, Tuesday, July 19, 2022. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)
            
              President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden greet Olena Zelenska, spouse of Ukrainian's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, at the White House in Washington, Tuesday, July 19, 2022. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)
            
              President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden greet Olena Zelenska, spouse of Ukrainian's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the White House in Washington, Tuesday, July 19, 2022. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)
            
              President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden greet Olena Zelenska, spouse of Ukrainian's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the White House in Washington, Tuesday, July 19, 2022. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)
            
              President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden greet Olena Zelenska, spouse of Ukrainian's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, at the White House in Washington, Tuesday, July 19, 2022. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)
            
              President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden greet Olena Zelenska, spouse of Ukrainian's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the White House in Washington, Tuesday, July 19, 2022. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)
            
              FILE - Olena Zelenska, spouse of Ukrainian's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, walks out of the State Department, July 18, 2022 in Washington, after meeting with Secretary of State Antony Blinken in a closed-to-press meeting. Zalenska on Tuesday, accepted a human rights award on behalf of the people of Ukraine in recognition of their fight against Russia's invasion of their country. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky, File)
            Olena Zelenska, spouse of Ukrainian's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, accepts the Dissident Human Rights Award on behalf of the people of Ukraine for their brave fight against Russia from Dr. Edwin Feulner chairman of the Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation, at the Victims of Communism Museum in Washington, Tuesday, July 19, 2022. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster) Olena Zelenska, spouse of Ukrainian's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, accepts the Dissident Human Rights Award on behalf of the people of Ukraine for their brave fight against Russia from Dr. Edwin Feulner chairman of the Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation, at the Victims of Communism Museum in Washington, Tuesday, July 19, 2022. At left is Dr. Lee Edwards, Co-Founder and Chairman Emeritus of the Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation and at right is Amb. Aldona Wos. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

AP

Lead water pipes pulled from underneath the street are seen in Newark, N.J., Oct. 21, 2021. (AP Pho...

Associated Press

Biden to require cities to replace harmful lead pipes within 10 years

The Biden administration has previously said it wants all of the nation's roughly 9 million lead pipes to be removed, and rapidly.

5 days ago

Facebook's Meta logo sign is seen at the company headquarters in Menlo Park, Calif., on, Oct. 28, 2...

Associated Press

Meta shuts down thousands of fake Facebook accounts that were primed to polarize voters ahead of 2024

Meta said it removed 4789 Facebook accounts in China that targeted the United States before next year’s election.

5 days ago

A demonstrator in Tel Aviv holds a sign calling for a cease-fire in the Hamas-Israel war on Nov. 21...

Associated Press

Hamas releases a third group of hostages as part of truce, and says it will seek to extend the deal

The fragile cease-fire between Israel and Hamas was back on track Sunday as the first American was released under a four-day truce.

9 days ago

Men look over the site of a deadly explosion at Al-Ahli Hospital in Gaza City, Wednesday, Oct. 18, ...

Associated Press

New AP analysis of last month’s deadly Gaza hospital explosion rules out widely cited video

The Associated Press is publishing an updated visual analysis of the deadly Oct. 17 explosion at Gaza's Al-Ahli Hospital.

13 days ago

Peggy Simpson holds a photograph of law enforcement carrying Lee Harvey Oswald's gun through a hall...

Associated Press

JFK assassination remembered 60 years later by surviving witnesses to history, including AP reporter

Peggy Simpson is among the last surviving witnesses who are sharing their stories as the nation marks the 60th anniversary.

13 days ago

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, chairs the weekly cabinet meeting in Jerusalem, Sunday, ...

Associated Press

Israeli Cabinet approves cease-fire with Hamas; deal includes release of 50 hostages

Israel’s Cabinet on Wednesday approved a cease-fire deal with the Hamas militant group that would bring a temporary halt to a devastating war.

14 days ago

Sponsored Articles

(KTAR News Graphic)...

KTAR launches online holiday auction benefitting Boys & Girls Clubs of the Valley

KTAR is teaming up with The Boys & Girls Clubs of the Valley for a holiday auction benefitting thousands of Valley kids.

...

Desert Institute for Spine Care

Desert Institute for Spine Care (DISC) wants to help Valley residents address back, neck issues through awake spine surgery

As the weather begins to change, those with back issues can no longer rely on the dry heat to aid their backs. That's where DISC comes in.

...

DAY & NIGHT AIR CONDITIONING, HEATING AND PLUMBING

Importance of AC maintenance after Arizona’s excruciating heat wave

An air conditioning unit in Phoenix is vital to living a comfortable life inside, away from triple-digit heat.

Jill Biden, Ukraine’s first lady meet again, this time at WH