President Volodymyr Zelensky stepped onto the opulent US House floor on Wednesday night to bolster his supply line after just returning from a tour to the horrific front lines in Ukraine. He was dressed in his trademark green military garb.
Zelensky adopted a combative appearance on the dais, where heads of state are more often seen wearing suits, and spoke with assurance in English as he declared “shared success” in what he described as the loss of Russia in the “fight for the minds of the world.”
Although he avoided addressing the obvious, the speech was a direct appeal to Republican lawmakers—who are going to take charge of the House in January—to stick by Ukraine.
He claimed that it was not a donation and described it as a “investment” in democracy.
Later, he requested that the country’s backing for Ukraine remain “strong, bicameral, and bipartisan.”
His comments came as Congress prepared to vote this week on a spending proposal for the entire year that included nearly $45 billion in emergency aid for Ukraine and NATO partners.
Over $21 billion in defense aid has been given by the US in less than a year. In addition, Zelensky met with President Joe Biden earlier on Wednesday at the White House and the two men announced a new weapons agreement for $1.8 billion.
