The Ukrainian leader speaks to Biden and Congress on an extraordinary day marking his first international trip since the start of Russia’s invasion.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky made an impassioned and emotional plea to Congress on Wednesday for continued American support against Russia’s unrelenting assault, speaking personally and passionately about why Ukraine needed more aid and weapons to lawmakers whose ranks include some vocal skeptics of future reinforcements.
Zelensky’s address to a joint session of Congress came after he met with President Biden during an extraordinary day in Washington that marked the Ukrainian leader’s first international trip since Russia invaded Ukraine 300 days ago. The two projected a united front at the White House, and both men issued blistering rebukes of Russia as they sought to rally support for a long and grueling war.
But Zelensky, who has found his closest ally in Biden, faced a far greater challenge on Capitol Hill, where a growing number of House Republicans — who are poised to take control of the chamber in January — have expressed skepticism or outright opposition to continuing to send more aid to Ukraine. Zelensky’s visit also came as U.S. public support for sending expansive amounts of aid to Ukraine has softened significantly over the past several months amid rising economic anxieties.
Still, Zelensky — who donned his signature military green sweater and heavy boots — received several standing ovations from the hundreds of lawmakers gathered Wednesday, at times almost moving him to tears. But he told Congress he needs more aid and weapons to defeat Russia.
“We have artillery, yes, thank you. Is it enough? Honestly, not really,” Zelensky said. “Your money is not charity. It’s an investment in the global security and democracy that we handle in the most responsible way.”
He added, “This battle cannot be frozen or postponed. It cannot be ignored assuming that an ocean or something else will provide protection.” Putting the focus squarely on U.S. support, he continued: “So much depends on the world. So much in the world depends on you.”
Earlier in the day, Biden vowed to support Ukraine “as long as it takes” as the two leaders spoke about Russian President Vladimir Putin sharply — signaling that an end to the fighting is nowhere in sight. Zelensky called Putin and Russian forces “terrorists,” while Biden called the Russian leader “inhumane” and said Putin had made clear he had “no intention of stopping this cruel war.”
Congress is poised to pass $45 billion in new spending for Ukraine this week in an end-of-year spending package. Yet several House Republicans criticized the aid package Wednesday or Zelensky’s visit directly.
Republican Chip Roy of Texas called the Ukrainian president’s address to Congress “political theater.”
“This is more of the theater that is being orchestrated by the current outgoing Democratic House leadership and Senate leadership,” he told reporters on Capitol Hill on Wednesday.
The visit, which was planned with great secrecy, came at a key inflection point, with Zelensky’s army bracing for a brutal winter of fighting and the future of U.S. support for his efforts headed into a period of greater uncertainty. Against that backdrop, both leaders set out to renew their pitch for support of Ukraine’s military efforts.
During a joint news conference after meeting privately at the White House, Biden argued that the stakes of the war extend well beyond Ukraine’s borders.
“We understand in our bones that Ukraine’s fight is part of something much bigger,” Biden said. “The American people know if we stand by with such blatant attacks on democracy and liberty … the world would surely face worse consequences.”
Zelensky similarly cast Ukraine’s fight as a broader one that was important for democracies around the world.
