WASHINGTON — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called on the US Congress to approve more aid to kyiv during his visit to Washington.
The president asserted in a speech at a military university that Russia He may be fighting in Ukraine, but his “true goal is freedom” in the United States and around the world.
The visit, which will include meetings Tuesday at the White House and with Congress, is part of a last-minute effort by President Joe Biden’s administration to convince lawmakers to approve more money for Ukraine, as officials warn that Funds for Ukraine are running out.
Biden asked Congress for $61.4 billion for Ukraine as part of a $110 billion package that also includes money for Israel and other national security priorities. But the request is caught up in a debate over immigration policy and U.S. border security. Washington has already provided kyiv with $111 billion to defend itself against Russia in a war that is approaching two years.
“If there is anyone inspired by the unresolved problems on Capitol Hill, it is simply (Russian President Vladimir) Putin and his clique,” Zelensky told an audience of military leaders and students at the National Defense University. “Ukrainians have not given up and will not give up. We know what to do. You can count on Ukraine. And we hope to be able to count on you.”
Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, who introduced the Ukrainian president, said the United States’ commitment to Ukraine is unwavering and that supporting the war is critical to ensuring the security of the United States and its allies.
Austin noted that Zelenskyy is “living proof that one person’s leadership can help restore a beleaguered democracy and inspire the free world and change the course of history.”
Source: With information from AP
