WASHINGTON — President Biden is dispatching Vice President Kamala Harris to an upcoming Ukraine peace conference in Switzerland — rejecting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s request that Biden skip a planned Hollywood fundraiser headlined by actor George Clooney to help strengthen Kyiv’s hand.
“Vice President Kamala Harris will travel to Lucerne, Switzerland on June 15 to participate in the Summit on Peace in Ukraine,” Harris’ spokesperson Kirsten Allen said Monday.
Harris “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,” Allen added.
National security adviser Jake Sullivan “will join the Vice President in representing the United States at the Summit,” the statement said, suggesting the 81-year-old president will give the conference a miss.
Last week, Biden ignored a reporter’s shouted question about Zelensky’s plea for him to attend — after Bloomberg News reported that Biden was not expected to travel to Europe because of the conflict with the Tinseltown event that also is expected to feature actress Julia Roberts and former President Barack Obama.
Zelensky pointedly pressed Biden to set aside his star-studded plans in order to make the trip, saying last week that Russian President Vladimir Putin would be thrilled if the US leader wasn’t there.
Biden’s absence “would only be applauded by Putin, personally applauded by Putin, and it would be a standing ovation,” Zelensky said.
The president already has plans to be in Europe later this week to commemorate the 80th anniversary of D-Day and is also scheduled to attend part of the G7 summit, to be held in southern Italy June 13-15 — stoking speculation he might stop by Switzerland or have Zelensky come to him at some point.
The Russia-Ukraine war broke out in February 2022, less than a week after Biden sent Harris to attend the annual Munich Security Conference in his stead.
In her remarks in Germany, Harris attempted to dissuade Putin from attacking by warning of “economic measures that will be swift, severe, and united.”
Former President Donald Trump has vowed to personally negotiate an end to the Russia-Ukraine war if he defeats Biden in their Nov. 5 rematch.
