WASHINGTON—Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is in the nation’s capital, meeting with members of Congress and the White House. He faces a difficult road ahead, however, because there is not much he can do to break the current stalemate on Ukraine aid as the war-torn country enters day 656 of its conflict with Russia.
The Ukrainian president is currently meeting with President Joe Biden at the White House. Prior to the meeting, he went to Capitol Hill to speak with lawmakers and make a last-ditch plea for American assistance.
During the bilateral meeting, President Biden stressed the urgency of Congress passing a supplemental aid package to bolster Ukraine’s defense. He also raised concerns about Russian President Putin’s alleged plan to target Ukraine’s electrical grid this winter.
In addition, President Biden announced another $200 million aid for Ukraine.
Mr. Zelenskyy expressed gratitude for U.S. support, affirming Ukraine’s resolve to win the war.
“Ukraine can win,” he said, adding that he sought to enhance Ukraine’s air defense capabilities.
Mr. Zelensky first met with senators in a closed-door gathering this morning. Speaking on the Senate floor, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) described the meeting as “very powerful, enlightening, and positive.”
“President Zelenskyy’s message was direct: Ukraine will win the war against Russia if more aid is approved,” Mr. Schumer said. “If no more aid is approved, Putin will win. It’s that simple.”
This was the Ukrainian president’s third visit to the U.S. Capitol.
“He outlined in great detail the kind of help he needs and how it will help him win,” Mr. Schumer told reporters. “He also made one other point. He needs the aid quickly.”
Mr. Zelenskyy also met with House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.).
President Biden and Mr. Zelenskyy will hold a joint press conference at the White House following their meeting.
The Biden administration had previously requested nearly $106 billion in supplemental funding from Congress, with about $60 billion allocated to support Ukraine’s defense against Russia.
Stalemate Continues
Mr. Johnson urged again on Tuesday for border security alongside Ukraine aid on The Hugh Hewitt Show and voiced frustration about not receiving a response from Senate Democrats and the White House.He outlined his border security approach, stressing that all measures in the GOP proposal are interconnected.
“Those ingredients are necessary because they’re interlocking. And if you only do one or two of them, it doesn’t solve the problem,” he explained.
“They know that. But as I said, as we are speaking this morning, they’ve not even come back and said, ‘Oh, gee, we’ll give you two of the five or three of the five.’ Nothing. They haven’t sent anything back in return. There’s no return volley, so I stand here awaiting them.”
Mr. Johnson also said that he is not interested in keeping the House in session while senators are far from reaching a deal on the border and Ukraine.
“I don’t know what else to do. I’m not going to have everybody sit here through Christmas twiddling their thumbs. They’ve not sent me anything,” he said.
Senators also signaled earlier that they are no closer to reaching an agreement that would tighten U.S. immigration policies while providing funds to Ukraine.
Sen. James Lankford (R-Okla.), the lead Republican negotiator with the White House on the supplemental package, said on Monday that the Ukraine aid is unlikely to be struck this week.
“We’re not going to be able to get [a deal] by Thursday or Friday this week. We’re still working through text,” he told reporters, adding that there are many unresolved issues.
He also stated that it was a “frustrating weekend” since the White House was not including him in the discussions and was just talking to Democrats.
Congress previously approved $111 billion in supplemental funding to support Ukraine and address critical national security needs since Russia’s invasion in February 2022.
After the meeting with the Ukrainian president, Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) called Mr. Zelenskyy an “inspirational and determined” leader.
“Our Ukrainian friends’ cause is just, and if the West continues to stand with them, they can win,” Mr. McConnell said on the Senate floor.
“We know that our border, just like Ukraine’s border and Israel’s and Taiwan’s, must be inviable. That’s why, for months now, we’ve supported supplemental action on all four of the most pressing national security challenges we face. Our support for Ukraine and Israel is rock solid.”
