Volodymyr Zelenskyy arrives at the White House for a historic meeting with Joe Biden; The leader of Ukraine will speak during the joint session of the Congress

UPDATE: During a photo shoot in the Oval Office, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky presented Joe Biden with a medal that an army officer was about to present to the US president as a thank you.

“He asked me to present his award and he asked me to present his award to President Biden … He is very brave and he said, ‘Give it to the very brave president,'” Zelenskyy said said.

“Humbled, but much appreciated,” Biden said. He said he would give the military officer a US military command coin.

In brief remarks, Zelensky also thanked Biden and Congress for their support and “thanks from us ordinary people to you ordinary people, Americans, I really appreciate it.”

Biden told Zelensky he was “glad you could make the trip,” adding that as Russian President Vladimir Putin escalated his attacks on civilians, he was trying to “weaponize the winter.” Biden also noted that Zelensky was Time’s man of the year.

A White House official said Biden plans to announce another round of support for Ukraine, including a Patriot missile defense system “that will be a key asset in defending the Ukrainian people against Russia’s barbaric attacks on Ukraine’s critical infrastructure.”

BEFORE: Volodymyr Zelenskyy arrived at the White House on Wednesday for a historic meeting with President Joe Biden, the Ukrainian president’s first trip abroad since the Russian invasion last year.

Wearing gray olive pants and sweaters, Zelensky arrived at the South Portico just after 11 a.m. PT, greeted by Biden and First Lady Jill Biden, and they briefly posed for photographers. Biden puts his arm around Zelenskyy’s shoulder as if to emphasize the bond he has formed with the Ukrainian leader. They entered the White House without answering shouted questions.

The purpose of the visit is clear: to secure additional aid to Ukraine as Congress finalizes a spending bill by the end of the year. And the dynamic in Washington is likely to change when Republicans take control of the House of Representatives, where some GOP members are reluctant to give Ukraine a “blank check” as it seeks to preserve its democracy.

Zelenskyj’s visit was scheduled to last more than a week, but only revealed on Tuesday that it was a distinct possibility. He plans to deliver a speech before a joint session of Congress on Wednesday night, which is expected to last about 20 minutes and be broadcast by major radio and cable networks. Zelensky, a former comedian, previously addressed Congress via video conference as he organized so many events to bolster support for his country in the face of the Russian attack.

Out of the total spending package of $1.7 billion, $45 billion was earmarked for aid to Ukraine, $7 billion more than the Biden administration requested.

The Senate is currently working on the spending package, with a good sign of approval Tuesday when 70 senators voted to move the bill forward. The House of Representatives must then vote before federal funding expires Friday night.

Ukraine is grappling with Russian attacks on its power grid, cutting electricity and heating in major cities.