Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., left, Thursday, Sept. 21, 2023. It is Zelenskyy’s second visit to Washington since Russia invaded and comes as President Joe Biden’s request to Congress for an additional $24 billion for Ukraine is hanging in the balance. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)
WASHINGTON — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky returned to Washington on Thursday for a one-day visit, aiming to address concerns among Republicans about the allocation of American funds that have supported his troops in their conflict against Russian forces for 19 months.
Zelenskyy arrived at the Capitol to engage in private discussions with both Republican and Democratic leaders of the House and Senate, a significant visit as the world watches Western support for Kyiv. He is also scheduled to meet with President Joe Biden at the White House and confer with U.S. military leaders at the Pentagon.
House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries welcomed Zelenskyy to the Capitol, marking a crucial stop for the Ukrainian president following his speech at the U.N. General Assembly in New York.
This marks Zelenskyy’s second visit to Washington since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, and it coincides with Biden’s request to Congress for an additional $24 billion for Ukraine’s military and humanitarian requirements, which is currently pending approval.
National Security Council spokesman John Kirby emphasized the importance of the Ukrainian president’s visit in persuading U.S. lawmakers to maintain critical American funding and weapons.
“It’s really important for members of Congress to be able to hear directly from the president about what he’s facing in this counteroffensive,” Kirby told reporters Wednesday, “and how he’s achieving his goals, and what he needs to continue to achieve those goals.”
Despite political divisions in the U.S., Biden has called on world leaders to stand with Ukraine. A faction of hard-right Republicans, led by former President Donald Trump, who is Biden’s chief rival in the 2024 presidential race, opposes sending additional funds overseas.
The White House has been working to garner support for Ukraine ahead of Zelensky’s visit. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and top intelligence officials held closed-door briefings with senior lawmakers on Wednesday to present their case.
However, some Senate Republicans left the briefing with reservations about the necessity of increasing spending on Ukraine. Senator Josh Hawley of Missouri remarked, “What we’re basically told is, ‘Buckle up and get out your checkbook.’”
Since the outset of the conflict, most members of Congress have backed four rounds of aid to Ukraine, amounting to approximately $113 billion, considering the defense of Ukraine and its democracy a priority, especially in countering Russian President Vladimir Putin. Some of these funds were allocated to replenish U.S. military equipment sent to the frontlines.
Democratic Senator Mark Kelly of Arizona, who recently visited Kyiv, emphasized that cutting off U.S. aid during Ukraine’s counteroffensive would be “catastrophic” for their efforts.
Zelenskyy’s visit comes amid changing political dynamics compared to his previous address to Congress last December. Then, he received a standing ovation for Ukraine’s courage and remarkable performance in the war.
His meeting with senators on Thursday will be held behind closed doors in the historic and intimate Old Senate Chamber at the U.S. Capitol, underscoring the Senate’s respect for the foreign leader.
On the House side, Republican Speaker Kevin McCarthy, who faces more opposition within his Trump-aligned ranks regarding support for Ukraine, is organizing a separate meeting with Zelensky, involving a smaller bipartisan group of lawmakers and committee chairmen.
“I will have questions for President Zelenskyy,” McCarthy told reporters ahead of the visit.
He expressed a desire for more transparency regarding the funds the U.S. has already allocated for Ukraine before committing to additional funding.
Additionally, McCarthy wants to ascertain “What is the plan for victory?”
However, in the Senate, Ukraine enjoys strong support from Republican leader Mitch McConnell, who is at the forefront of encouraging his party and the president to continue robust support for Kyiv.
Before Wednesday’s closed-door briefing for senators, McConnell urged Biden to ensure that his administration presents a more compelling case for supporting Ukraine, enabling Congress to provide Zelenskyy with the necessary resources for victory.
“I sometimes get the sense that I speak more about Ukraine matters than the president does,” McConnell said in a speech on Wednesday.
In Europe, Zelensky faces challenges as cracks emerge in the previously united Western alliance supporting Ukraine. Late Wednesday, Poland’s prime minister announced that the country would no longer supply arms to Ukraine. This statement seemed intended to pressure Kyiv and raised doubts about Poland’s role as a major supplier of military equipment, amid an escalating trade dispute between the neighboring nations.
Source: with agencies