By Vice President Kamala Harris took center stage at a summit on Ukraine in Switzerland on Saturday, filling in for President Joe Biden as he juggled the competing demands of his election-year agenda and the escalating 2024 campaign. Harris met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to discuss his country’s vision for ending the war launched by Russia, while Biden wrapped up his participation in the Group of Seven summit in Italy and flew to Los Angeles for a star-studded fundraiser.
Harris announced an additional $1.5 billion in U.S. assistance for Ukrainians through the State Department and the U.S. Agency for International Development, including funds for energy assistance, repairing damaged energy infrastructure, helping refugees, and strengthening civilian security.
Biden’s decision to skip the Ukraine summit highlights the challenges he faces in balancing a complex domestic and foreign policy agenda while running against former President Donald Trump. It also reflects the growing profile of Vice President Harris, who has taken on a more visible role in making the case for a second Biden term as the 2024 campaign intensifies.
Some experts argue that Biden’s absence from the summit was a missed opportunity for the United States, but they acknowledge that sending the vice president and national security adviser Jake Sullivan is not a minor delegation. Harris has increasingly been called upon to reassemble the diverse coalition of voters that helped Biden beat Trump in 2020, a key factor in securing a second term.
The vice president has launched initiatives to highlight the administration’s record on issues such as abortion rights, economic development in minority communities, marijuana legislation, and gun violence. Her relative youth, gender, and race are seen as assets to the ticket, complementing Biden’s profile.
However, like Biden, Harris has seen her favorability ratings among Americans decline. The Trump campaign has criticized her role at the Ukraine summit, with spokesperson Karoline Leavitt claiming that Harris has “failed thus far at every task she has been given.
The White House defended Biden’s decision to skip the summit, noting that he had met twice with Zelenskyy in the previous week. The talks in Switzerland are expected to focus on issues such as food security, nuclear security, and the return of prisoners and children captured during the war and taken to Russia.
As the 2024 campaign heats up, Ukrainian officials are watching the future of U.S. support in their war against Russia with a measure of uncertainty. President Zelensky emphasized the importance of sustained unity between the United States and European leaders in supporting Ukraine’s fight for democracy.
AP
