Senator Mark Kelly and two of his senators met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Kiev on Wednesday and asked questions about Ukraine’s war with Russia, the management of U.S. aid and the country’s long-term future. swirling.
The secret visit to the Ukrainian capital came on the heels of a leak that U.S. officials believed Ukraine would struggle to gain ground in a counterattack. increasingly cautious about funding their wars.
Arizona Democrat Kelly and members of the Senate Armed Services Committee joined Sen. Joe Manchin (DW.Va.) and Sen. Lisa Markowski (R-Alaska) on a trip.
Brad Paisley, a country music star from West Virginia who heads a charity that helps rebuild Ukraine, also traveled with the contingent.
The meeting with US senators was part of Zelensky’s broader international push to keep his country receiving international support in the years after Russia’s invasion.
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Also on Wednesday, President Zelensky made a distant appearance to step up aid to the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund and even to the West, who met in Washington with the leaders of the world’s seven industrialized nations, to help secure Russia’s assets. appealed for confiscation. , reported the New York Times.
Separately, President Zelensky called for international action after a leaked video allegedly showed Russian soldiers beheading a Ukrainian prisoner of war.
Kerry and his colleagues received more than an hour’s briefing from Zelensky and his senior officials to ensure Ukraine’s ability to continue fighting Russian forces, its energy security, and that aid to Ukraine would be used as intended. discussed ensuring that
Kelly then said the conference was “incredibly valuable” in understanding the evolving needs and circumstances of the ongoing war.
He said they discussed what kinds of weapons and weapons systems they would need in the future to be successful.
“Things change over time, so this is incredibly valuable to me … a better understanding of what Ukraine needs as it continues this operation,” Kelly said. “We want to support as much as we can. … War crimes are committed here almost every day. is needed.”
Manchin is also a member of the Armed Services Commission and chair of the Energy and Natural Resources Commission. In his statement, he praised the Ukrainian people and reiterated the need to overthrow Russian President Vladimir Putin.
“The Ukrainian people continue to show unimaginable courage in the face of Vladimir Putin’s unjust war,” Manchin said. “The level of patriotism, professionalism and perseverance of the Ukrainian people is inspiring. We believe it must remain our number one priority.”
Murkowski is a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee and a member of the Defense Subcommittee. She also condemned the Russian aggression.
“For more than a year, the people of Ukraine have stood up against the unspeakable atrocities unleashed against them by Vladimir Putin. I am honored to once again express my unwavering, bipartisan support for their sovereignty and democracy,” she said.
“Despite the incredible hardships endured by the Ukrainian people, they continue to show that few things are stronger than a democracy fueled by unity and hope. We are more than ever grateful for the democratic benefits of Ukraine and are more than ever committed to ensuring that parliament provides the support Ukraine needs.”
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Among the senators’ gifts to Zelensky, Kerry offered the Ukrainian president a shirt that Kerry had been on the first space shuttle flight.
Wednesday’s meeting with a foreign leader was Kerry’s second in many weeks. Last week, he and other senators met with Taiwan’s leaders in New York City amid rising tensions between China, the United States and Taiwan.
Contact reporter Ronald J. Hansen ronald.hansen@arizonarepublic.com or 602-444-4493. follow him on twitter @ronaldjhansen.
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