President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine delivered an emotional wartime appeal to a joint meeting of Congress on Wednesday night, telling Americans that “your money is not charity” and vowing that his people would eventually secure an improbable victory against Russia on behalf of all free nations.
“Against all odds and doom-and-gloom scenarios, Ukraine did not fall,” Zelensky said in halting but forceful English from the dais in the House chamber, where he was greeted with extended applause from lawmakers.
“Ukraine is alive and kicking,” he said. “And it gives me a good reason to share with you our first joint victory: We defeated Russia in the battle for minds of the world.”
In blunt terms, Zelensky pleaded for more military assistance from the lawmakers, who are poised to approve $45 billion in additional aid by the end of the week, bringing the total over a year to nearly $100 billion. His message: Your support has kept President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia from overrunning our country. Now keep it coming.
“We have artillery, yes, thank you,” he said. “We have it. Is it enough? Honestly, not really.” The money, he added, was not charity. “It’s an investment,” he said.
Zelensky’s visit to Washington — kept secret until the eve of his arrival for security reasons — was a dramatic show of confidence by Ukraine’s leader, who had not left his country since Putin began his assault 300 days ago.
In the space of 24 hours, just days before Christmas, Zelensky flew from the battered front lines of a country plunged into darkness by Russian air attacks to the marble-lined rooms of the White House and the Capitol, where he repeatedly thanked Americans for being partners in Ukraine’s battle to survive.
President Joe Biden told Zelensky that his people “inspire the world” and he blamed Russian President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia for trying to “use winter as a weapon”.
Dressed in his wartime uniform of an olive green sweater and cargo pants, Zelensky began his speech by insisting that the lengthy standing ovation was “too much for me”. He ended it just over 20 minutes later by delivering a blue and gold Ukrainian battle flag to Nancy Pelosi, who in return handed him a framed American flag that had flown over the Capitol earlier in the day in honour of his visit.
(New York Times News Service)
