On Tuesday, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy’s chief of staff, Andriy Yermak, had a phone conversation with Phil Gordon, the national security adviser to U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris. This marked the first such call since Harris became the frontrunner for the Democratic presidential nomination.
According to Yermak’s office, the discussion focused on the situation at the front lines and Russia’s aerial attacks on Ukrainian cities and energy infrastructure. Yermak emphasized the need for enhanced Ukrainian air defense with modern Western systems.
Zelenskiy mentioned the conversation in his nightly video address, highlighting Harris’s representation of the United States at last month’s peace summit in Switzerland. He stressed the importance of maintaining momentum in their collaborative efforts for a just peace.
The United States has been a crucial ally to Ukraine during the war, providing billions of dollars in military and financial aid since Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022.
Harris is seen as the likely successor to Joe Biden on the Democratic presidential ticket following Biden’s decision not to run. Republican ex-president Donald Trump, who is running for re-election, has threatened to cut aid to Ukraine if he wins.
Yermak and Gordon also discussed further U.S. support and the outcomes of the international summit held in Switzerland in June.
Ukraine has consistently stated that it will cooperate with whoever is elected in the United States and does not want to appear to take sides in U.S. domestic matters. A Ukrainian official, speaking anonymously, told Reuters that Harris’s potential foreign policy towards Ukraine and Europe could be characterized by “continuity and predictability” if she is elected. The official added, “Supporting Ukraine is a national, not partisan interest for the United States.”
