Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy returned to the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday (native time) to cement relations with lawmakers who will vote on future U.S. assist to his nation, which could possibly be in jeopardy if former President Donald Trump is re-elected.
Zelensky, who’s in Washington for this week’s NATO summit, met with leaders of the Senate and Home of Representatives and members of committees concerned in protection, spending, diplomacy and nationwide safety.
“That is an extremely essential mission and we have to help Ukraine,” Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Mark Warner informed Reuters.
The go to comes amid deep uncertainty over this 12 months’s U.S. presidential election, which pits incumbent Democrat Joe Biden, a staunch supporter of assist to Ukraine, in opposition to Republican Trump, who has expressed skepticism in regards to the quantity of assist offered.
Zelenskyy offered the Order of Benefit for Ukraine to Senate Republican chief Mitch McConnell earlier than having lunch with a bunch of Democratic and Republican senators. He later sat down with Home Speaker Mike Johnson, a Republican, and informed reporters that he had simply invited Johnson to Kyiv.
Johnson, an in depth Trump ally, mentioned it might be tough to make time for a visit earlier than the November election, when each Home seat shall be up for grabs and his fellow Republicans hope to protect or develop their slim majority.
“We might like to go. Now we have a really tight schedule throughout the election, so it is arduous to seek out time to go, however we’d positively prefer to,” Johnson mentioned.
Biden’s uneven efficiency within the June 27 debate in opposition to Trump and low public approval score have raised recent questions on his psychological health, and a handful of congressional Democrats have known as for Biden to step apart.
Reuters reported final month that two Trump advisers had offered the Republican candidate with a plan to finish Russia’s struggle in Ukraine – if he wins the November 5 election – that entails telling Kiev it’s going to solely get extra US weapons if it enters into peace talks.
Zelenskyy urged U.S. political leaders in a speech Tuesday to not look forward to the result of the U.S. election earlier than performing forcefully to assist Ukraine and known as for fewer restrictions on using U.S. weapons.
JOHNSON CHANGED COURSE
In Congress, dozens of Trump’s closest allies have repeatedly voted in opposition to aiding Zelenskyy’s authorities, although Democrats and extra internationally targeted Republicans have labored collectively to approve the $175 billion in assist for Ukraine that Washington has accepted since Russia invaded the nation in February 2022.
Extra not too long ago, Johnson reversed course in April, months after Biden requested the cash, and allowed the Home to vote on and approve $61 billion in assist for Ukraine.
When Zelensky final visited Congress in December, Johnson had mentioned he wouldn’t help Biden’s request for added funding.
The Home of Representatives accepted the supplemental spending bundle by a vote of 311 to 112, with conservative Republicans, shut allies of Trump, voting in opposition to. The vote fueled fears that Trump’s celebration may not approve more cash for Ukraine if it takes management of the Home, Senate and White Home in November.
However Johnson mentioned in his first main nationwide safety speech this week that Russia poses a risk past Ukraine, and American voters have expressed help for assist as he traveled across the nation.
“Folks perceive that (Russian President Vladimir Putin) wouldn’t cease if he took kyiv. In my opinion, he’s a ruthless dictator,” Johnson mentioned.