KYIV: Kyiv on Wednesday welcomed an announcement from Washington that US Vice President Kamala Harris will attend an upcoming summit on Ukraine, despite earlier urging President Joe Biden’s participation.

Ukraine hopes to win broad international backing at the meeting later this month in Switzerland for its vision of the terms needed to end Russia’s war. Moscow has not been invited to attend the meeting.

“It is important news that US Vice President Kamala Harris has been confirmed to participate in the Peace Summit to be held on 15-16 June in Switzerland,” the head of the president’s office, Andriy Yermak, said in a statement on social media.

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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky had earlier said that if Biden were to snub the summit it would be like “applauding” Russian leader Vladimir Putin.

Biden is due to meet with Zelensky in France this week and then again at the G7 meeting in Italy to discuss Kyiv’s fight against Russia, the White House has said.