Topline
A U.S. congressional delegation led by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv on Sunday, in another high-profile show of support by Washington for the leadership in Kyiv just a week after a top-level visit by Biden Administration officials to the Ukrainian capital as Russian forces continue their offensive in the country’s east.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy awards the Order of Princess Olga, the third grade, to U.S. … [+] Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi in Kyiv, Ukraine.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Key Facts
Pelosi and the delegation’s visit was disclosed in a video published by Zelensky on Twitter, where he hailed the U.S. as the leader in supporting Ukraine against Russian aggression.
The visit, which had previously not been disclosed due to likely security concerns, was confirmed by the the speaker’s office in a statement which called the visit an “extraordinary honor.”
During the meeting, Zelensky reiterated his demand for continued assistance from the U.S. while the delegation informed him that more American support was on the way, the statement added.
Pelosi was accompanied by House Foreign Affairs Committee Chair Gregory Meeks (D-N.Y.), House Intelligence Committee Chair Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), House Rules Committee Chair Jim McGovern (D-Mass.) and Rep. Jason Crow (D-Colo.).
Two other lawmakers, Rep. Barbara Lee (D-Calif.), Rep. Bill Keating (D-Mass.), will join the delegation when it travels to Warsaw to meet Polish President Andrzej Duda and other senior members of his government.
Crucial Quote
“We believe that we are visiting you to say thank you for your fight for freedom. That we’re on a frontier for freedom and that your fight is a fight for everyone and so our commitment is to be there for you until the fight is done,” Pelosi is heard telling Zelensky in the video.
Key Background
Last week, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin visited Kyiv for a meeting with Zelensky other top Ukrainian leaders. During the meeting, Blinken informed the Ukrainian leadership that U.S. diplomats will return to Ukraine and President Joe Biden will nominate a new U.S. Ambassador to the country. The two U.S. officials also announced that Ukraine will receive $322 million in foreign military financing as part of a larger $713 million aid package from the United States. Following the meeting, the Pentagon chief said Washington’s goal was to help Ukraine win the war against Russia while also degrading Moscow’s military capabilities to the extent that would prevent such an adventure in the future.
Further Reading
Pelosi meets with Ukraine president in Kyiv (Associated Press)
