President Biden and Ukrainian President Zelensky exchanged military items during a historic visit at the White House, Zelensky’s first time out of Ukraine since Russia’s invasion at the start of the year.
Zelensky presented Biden with the Cross for Military Merit at the request of the Ukrainian officer who earned it for battlefield feats earlier this year.
“I want to give you something. One guy is a real hero — a real captain — and he asked me to pass his award … to President Biden. … He’s very brave, and he said, ‘Give it to a very brave president,'” Zelensky told Biden, according to footage shared by The Washington Post.
“He said that many [of] his brothers, this system saved, so thank you very much,” Zelensky said. He also handed over a letter from the officer to Biden, written in Ukrainian and translated to English.
“Undeserved but much appreciated,” Biden said when he received the gift, calling it “a great honor.”
In return, Biden presented Zelensky with a U.S. command coin to be delivered to the officer who had offered up his Ukrainian medal and another coin for the Ukrainian president.
Biden and Zelensky talked in the Oval Office on Wednesday and gave remarks from the White House ahead as part of the unprecedented visit.
Zelensky is slated to address a joint session of Congress later Wednesday evening.