A delegation of the Republican Party, in the opposition in the United States, led by its leader in the Senate, Mitch McConnell, met this Saturday in Kyiv with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to express support for Ukraine in the war against Russia.
A video released by the Ukrainian Presidency shows Mitch McConnell, who represents the state of Kentucky and leads Republicans in the Senate, and Senators Susan Collins of Maine, John Barrasso of Wyoming, and John Cornyn of Texas greeting the President. from Ukraine.
The visit by Republican senators comes two weeks after the visit of the leader of the House of Representatives and one of the most responsible of the Democratic Party, Nancy Pelosi.
In a statement, Zelensky considered that the visit by the Republicans sent a strong signal of US bipartisan support for Ukraine in the defense of its territory.
He also said he had asked US senators to strengthen sanctions against Russia. “We believe that Russia should be recognized as a sponsoring state of terrorism,” said the Ukrainian president.
Zelensky took the opportunity to ask for the speedy approval of the aid package of 40 billion dollars (38 billion euros) withheld on Thursday by Republican Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky.
Paul defied the leaders of both parties and failed to pass the US president’s US-backed military and economic aid package to Ukraine, denying them the unanimity they needed to move forward.
“I have sworn my office before the Constitution of the United States, not before any foreign nation, and no matter what sympathies the cause arouses because I have sworn to defend the national security of the United States of America,” said the senator, considering that ” Ukraine cannot be saved by condemning the American economy”.
Source: With Agencies