Politico: Zelenskyy convinces Washington Ukraine can defeat Russia

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy achieved what Politico described as the "unthinkable" during his visit to Washington on 28 July, convincing US leaders that Ukraine is capable of defeating Russia in the war.

Unlike his contentious visit to the White House in February 2025, when he clashed with President Donald Trump in the Oval Office, Zelenskyy left this week's meeting on a markedly more positive note.

According to Politico, the political climate in Washington has shifted in Ukraine's favour.

The visit also delivered another boost when US senators backed legislation introduced by Lindsey Graham to impose sanctions on countries that purchase Russian oil.

The publication said the vote brought Congress a step closer to advancing one of Zelenskyy's key priorities and signalled that Kyiv's position is improving beyond the battlefield. However, the bill must still pass further legislative stages, while the White House's final position remains unclear.

US lawmakers said discussions between Zelenskyy and senators focused on increasing sanctions pressure on Moscow, expanding military assistance to Ukraine and prospects for peace negotiations.

Zelenskyy argued that tougher sanctions could help consolidate Ukraine's gains on the battlefield and pressure Russian President Vladimir Putin into peace talks. According to Politico, the argument won bipartisan support in the Senate.

The Ukrainian president also stressed the need to expand military support for Kyiv, including production licences for Patriot missile systems, deliveries of PAC-3 interceptors and uninterrupted access to the Starlink satellite communications network to support long-range strikes against targets inside Russia.