Zelenskyy to discuss new arms deliveries, not peace, in Washington, says Russian lawmaker

By Elena Teslova

MOSCOW (AA) - The US will not be trying to convince Ukraine's president to launch peace talks with Russia as he pays Washington his first foreign visit on Wednesday since the beginning of the war with Moscow, a top Russian lawmaker said.

New arms deliveries to Kyiv, which "don't contribute to starting peace talks," will instead be discussed during Volodymyr Zelenskyy's visit, according to Valentina Matvienko, who is the head of the country's upper parliamentary chamber, the Russian Council of Federation.

"Now, (at) Zelenskyy's visit to the United States, I am sure that there will be no prerequisites for urging Ukraine to peace, for urging negotiations," Matvienko said, speaking at a news conference in Moscow.

"New arms supplies will be discussed, the growing budget for military support to Ukraine will be discussed there, which in itself does not create prerequisites for the start of negotiations," she added.

Matvienko said she expected the visit to be a "show" put on by the US administration before sending the Ukrainian president "back to the war."

"Most likely, the visit will end only with this," she said.

On Wednesday, the White House announced that Zelenskyy would arrive in Washington the same day to meet with his counterpart Joe Biden and address Congress.