No time
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky met with Congressional leaders on Capitol Hill today. He was not granted his request to address a joint session of Congress by Speaker McCarthy.
McCarthy justified his denial of Zelensky’s request by saying there just isn’t time to do that right now, what with the looming government shutdown and all. There was some question whether or not McCarthy would meet with Zelensky but he did. We know why he wanted to address Congress – he wants more aid for Ukraine in its war to defend itself against Putin’s invasion. Zelensky met with a bipartisan group of House leaders and is relying on his supporters in Congress to persuade Republicans to give him more aid.
Zelensky didn’t make any comments to reporters as he left the meeting, led by Speaker McCarthy an House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries. McCarthy said he heard “a lot of positive things” in the meeting. “I thought it was direct, I thought it was honest,” McCarthy said. “[Zelensky] answered the questions directly that I think a lot of members were requesting.”
A growing number of House Republicans are expressing opposition to voting in favor of more aid to Ukraine. Most say we should be securing our own border and dealing with the federal budget needs. Republicans are rightly asking for accountability to the billions of dollars in financial and military equipment aid already given to Ukraine.
Zelensky delivered a dire message to a bipartisan group of senators. He said, “If we don’t get the aid, we will lose the war.
