US President Joe Biden stressed that his administration will continue to support Ukraine during a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

The two leaders met at the White House on Thursday on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly session.

As the meeting began, Biden said the US supports "a just and lasting peace, one that respects Ukrainian sovereignty, and its territorial integrity."

He said the American people, together with their partners and allies, are determined to see to it that they do all they can to ensure that the world stands with Ukraine.

In response, Zelenskyy expressed gratitude for the US support. He added that he was looking forward to having discussions that would benefit Ukraine and the world.

Prior to the summit, a senior White House official said the US will provide Ukraine with a new assistance package that includes cluster bombs. The explosive weapons disperse small bomblets and are highly lethal.

But the planned list of package items did not include long-range, surface-to-surface missile systems, or ATACMS. Ukraine has been demanding those systems.

The Biden administration is asking Congress to approve an additional 24 billion dollars for Ukraine.

But some Republicans, including hardline House conservatives, oppose the plan. They argue that unlimited funding is not acceptable.

In a CNN poll released last month, 71 percent of Republican supporters said Congress should not authorize new funding to assist Ukraine.