Zelensky-Biden summit needed to “build personal relations” – analysts

Ukrainian analysts voiced such an opinion during an expert discussion "Zelensky's visit to Washington: expectations, forecasts, and threats," an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

In particular, the director of the Center for International Studies Volodymyr Dubovyk is convinced of the importance of the state of relations between the leaders of Ukraine and the United States.

"It is important, however, that they understand each other because Biden is just at the dawn of his term and Zelensky is set to remain our President for a considerable period, so a lot also depends on personal relations between the two leaders," he said.

Dubovyk added he had no serious expectations and considered it a success that the meeting would be held as such to slightly reduce some tension in bilateral relations from the subjective human factor perspective.

Kateryna Shynkaruk, a Ukrainian political scientist and lecturer with the Kyiv Mohyla Academy and the Kyiv Shevchenko National University’s Institute of International Relations, also considers interpersonal dynamics an important element of the said summit.

According to her, the first months of President Biden in office did not affect the context of Ukrainian-American relations and neither did they kickstart any significant shifts.

“It's just that in Ukraine's bilateral relations with the United States there is certain stability between administrations. We know that there is bipartisan support in the context of security. In the context of internal reforms, there is also certain consensus seen… Here, on principle, the entire agenda has remained unchanged,” Shynkaruk emphasized.

As reported, President Volodymyr Zelensky will be visiting the United States late August at the invitation of President Joe Biden.

Minister for Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Dmytro Kuleba and the Head of the President’s Office Andriy Yermak flew to Washington early August in preparation for Zelensky’s visit.

Last week, Kuleba said the meeting was postponed to August 31.

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