RIGHT NOW: The plane has landed - is in the US

Russia's invasion of Ukraine  

Zelenskyi has landed in the United States 

Of:  

Josefine Karlsson  

Published: Less than 50 min ago  

Updated: Very recently  

NEWS  

Volodymyr Zelenskyy has landed in the United States. 

He was taken out of Ukraine by train to Poland where a US government plane was waiting.  

Now he will settle down with Joe Biden in the Oval Office.  

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyj is now in the United States. A source told CNN and a Ukrainian government official told NBC News  

Zelenskyj left Ukraine by train to the Polish border and was captured on film at a train station in Polish Przemysl, including with the US ambassador to Ukraine.There he got into a white SUV and was driven to Rzeszow airport where an American plane was waiting, reports TVN. The plane landed at Joint Base Andrews Air Force Base, just over a mile outside of Washington. 

Leaving the country for the first time during the war  

During the war, Zelenskyy has repeatedly spoken with world leaders by phone and video call. This is the first time the president has left Ukraine since the February 24 Russian invasion. 

The plan is for Zelensky to meet Joe Biden in the Oval Room of the White House. They will then hold a joint press conference in the White House before Zelenskyy is to address Congress.  

Zelenskyj and Biden are expected to discuss the latest military aid that the US will send to Ukraine and the cooperation between the countries. 

 “I hope you have a pleasant flight, Volodymyr. I am looking forward to having you here. We have a lot to discuss,” Joe Biden wrote on Twitter after the plane took off. 

Ukraine gets long-awaited Patriot  

The United States will send the advanced Patriot air defense system to Ukraine, AFP reported earlier on Wednesday evening.  

Ukraine has long requested Patriot in particular and had the air defense system at the top of its wish list. Biden has approved the US sending about $1.85 billion in defense materials to aid Ukraine.  

"Today we welcome President Zelensky to the United States and present a new military aid of 1.85 billion dollars to Ukraine," writes US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken on Twitter. 

Volodymyr Zelensky. The photo is from an earlier time. Photo: Genya Savilov / AP  

Ukrainian flags have been raised in Washington ahead of Zelensky's visit. Photo: Jacquelyn Martin / A