President Joe Biden will reportedly skip a peace summit hosted by Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky to attend a fundraiser hosted by Hollywood actor George Clooney.
The White House said it will be sending Vice President Kamala Harris and National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan to attend the peace summit in Biden’s place, a move that will likely anger Ukraine. Per The Telegraph:
Biden will instead attend a Democratic fundraiser in California with Mr Clooney, Julia Roberts, the comedian Jimmy Kimmel and Barack Obama, as he trails Donald Trump in recent donations for his re-election campaign.
Zelensky has previously described his American counterpart’s absence from the event as a gift to Vladimir Putin, in a sign of the fraying relationship between Kyiv and Washington.
Representatives from more than 100 countries have confirmed their attendance for the summit in Switzerland, between June 15-16, which aims to unite world leaders behind the Ukrainian president’s peace plan.
The White House still reiterated its commitment to Zelensky’s peace summit.
“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 and the principles of the UN Charter,” the White House said in a statement.
Zelensky subtly expressed his disappointment about Biden’s absence, believing he would have attended after being in France to commemorate the D-Day 80th anniversary.
“I believe that the peace summit needs president Biden,” said Zelensky. “His absence would only be met by an applause by Putin, a personal, standing applause by Putin.”
Zelensky also condemned China for trying to persuade other countries from attending the event.
“Unfortunately, regrettably, Russia, using Chinese influence on the region, using Chinese diplomats, does everything to disrupt the peace summit,” he said. “Regrettably, it is unfortunate that such a big, independent, powerful country as China is an instrument in the hands of Putin.”
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