Harris to attend Ukraine peace summit after Zelensky urged Biden to go

Vice President Harris will travel to Switzerland for the Summit on Peace in Ukraine after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky urged President Biden to attend.

Harris will participate in the summit June 15 in Lucerne, where she is set to “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,” her office announced Monday.

She will be joined by national security adviser Jake Sullivan to represent the United States at the summit.

While in Switzerland, she will also “reaffirm support for the people of Ukraine as they defend themselves against ongoing Russian aggression,” her office said.

Zelensky last week urged Biden to attend, Reuters reported, appealing for him and Chinese President Xi Jinping to “please, show your leadership in advancing the peace.”

Biden will be in Los Angeles June 15 for a high-dollar fundraiser with former President Obama. The fundraiser will include Hollywood actors George Clooney and Julia Roberts.

National security communications official John Kirby defended Biden’s decision to not attend the summit himself, saying the president has been steadfast in his support for Ukraine while House Republicans faced a long stalemate before passing military help for Ukraine in April.

“There hasn’t been a single leader around the world who has supported Ukraine more and more stridently than Joe Biden,” Kirby said.

“We’re sending the vice president of the United States and the national security adviser to this particular peace summit again, because of our desire to be represented around that table … that alone is high level, very serious representation by the United States,” he added.

The president has several days of international travel planned in June.

Before traveling to Los Angeles, Biden will be in Italy for the Group of Seven summit. This week, Biden is set to travel to France for the 80th anniversary of the D-Day landings.

Updated at 12:19 p.m.