“When Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyi visited the United States in December 2022, he was greeted by a large crowd of people, thunderous applause and an aid package worth almost 50 billion dollars. But as the war drags on, Ukraine’s president is getting a much more relaxed reception in Washington and facing angry questions from some Republicans, The New York Times reports.”, — write: www.pravda.com.ua
When Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyi visited the United States in December 2022, he was greeted by a large crowd of people, thunderous applause and an aid package worth almost 50 billion dollars. But as the war drags on, Ukraine’s president is getting a much more relaxed reception in Washington and facing angry questions from some Republicans, The New York Times reports.
Source: NYT
Verbatim edition: “Zelensky is considered Ukraine’s most persuasive advocate, gifted with the ability to cut through congressional engagement with calls for expedited arms shipments and other aid to Kyiv. But as the war against Russia drags on, his star power in Washington is noticeably fading, with potentially dire consequences for the future military aid to Ukraine from the United States”.
Details: The publication emphasizes that this was shown by Zelensky’s reception in the USA on Thursday, September 26 – it was much more muted. Several dozen lawmakers met with Zelenskyi behind closed doors, and the speaker of the House of Representatives ignored the Ukrainian president.
The NYT reminds that Ukraine is currently receiving military aid from the United States as part of a package worth nearly $61 billion, which Congress approved in the spring. On September 26, US President Joe Biden announced that America would send $8 billion worth of weapons to Ukraine, including glider bombs, anti-aircraft missiles and an additional Patriot battery.
“But when this military aid ends, the fate of Ukraine will again largely depend on the willingness of Congress to continue replenishing Zelenskyi’s military chest,” the publication emphasizes.
The NYT recalls that on Thursday, Zelensky held two meetings at the Capitol: first he answered questions from a bipartisan group of about 20 senators, including New York Democrat Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Kentucky Republican Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, then he met with bipartisan by a group of about a dozen members of the House of Representatives, including Hakeem Jeffries.
The publication emphasizes that Zelensky, who delivered a speech at the UN General Assembly on September 25, was not lucky enough to arrive on Capitol Hill after both houses of Congress announced a recess for the election campaign. This was the reason why events with the participation of the Ukrainian president had low attendance.
“Leaders in Congress made little effort to draw attention to his visit: neither Schumer nor McConnell addressed the media in person or via email, as they had during previous Zelensky visits, nor did Jeffries,” the NYT writes. .
The publication notes that almost every legislator who was present at the meetings had previously repeatedly voted in support of military aid to Ukraine.
A number of senators still admire Zelensky himself and the will of the Ukrainian people to fight and defend their country, but in other circles the Ukrainian president’s visit was met with anger because some Republicans said he had shown favoritism to the Democrats and the Biden administration. during the election season.
On September 25, Speaker Mike Johnson demanded that Zelensky recall the Ukrainian ambassador to the United States for organizing his trip to the ammunition plant in Scranton, Pennsylvania, which promises to be the most stormy state in the presidential election.
That same day, Kentucky Republican and Oversight Committee Chairman James R. Comer opened an investigation into whether the Biden administration misused public funds by sending Zelensky on a military plane to visit the plant.
Republicans also focused on some of Zelensky’s quotes.
In particular, Johnson mentioned the Ukrainian president’s comment to The New Yorker, in which he called Republican vice-presidential candidate JD Vance “too radical.”
“These episodes disappointed some of Zelensky’s Republican supporters, who expressed concern that the Ukrainian president had interfered in American politics,” the newspaper writes.
The NYT adds that the situation is a reminder of the challenges Zelensky could face in the coming months if Republicans take full control of Congress and if former President Donald Trump, who has repeatedly voiced his opposition to arming Ukraine, wins the election.