US Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and four other Democratic senators traveled to Ukraine on Friday, where they plan to meet with President Volodymyr Zelensky amid a standoff in Washington over billions of dollars in military aid to the war-torn country.
The visit coincides with the second anniversary of Russia’s aggression against Ukraine.
Zelensky has been warning the US and other allies for months that his army is running out of weapons. According to him, Russia will try to gain advantage without sending emergency aid.
Ukraine left the city last week Avdiivkathe main battlefield on the war front.
However, US aid to Ukraine has been suspended in Congress since the end of last year. Senate on February 13 the vast majority passed $95 billion aid package to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan; the dissent was 70-29. But House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., declined to bring the Senate package up for debate in the House, saying Congress must secure the southern border and pass a tough new border policy before providing more aid to Ukraine.
Earlier this month, a group of bipartisan Senate negotiators reached agreement on stricter asylum and border policies — a deal approved by Senate leaders of both parties. Republicans quickly abandoned the deal after former President Donald Trump and his congressional allies criticized it for not going far enough.
In a statement Friday, Schumer outlined four goals for the trip: to show the people of Ukraine that America supports them and will fight for aid; is to showcase the US Not to leave NATO and its European allies; To find out what advantages Russia will get if the necessary weapons and arms are not delivered to Ukraine; and acknowledging that if the United States abandons its allies, there will be “serious political, diplomatic, economic, and military consequences that will significantly harm the American people.”
“When we return to Washington, we will explain to Speaker Johnson and others in Congress blocking military and economic support exactly what is at stake here in Ukraine, the rest of Europe and the free world,” Schumer said. statement.
“We will continue to work to ensure that Congress steps up, does the right thing, and helps our friends and allies.”
Joining Schumer’s congressional delegation in Lviv are four Democrats, Rhode Island Senate Armed Services Chairman Jack Reed; Sen. Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut, a member of Reed’s panel; Senator Michael Bennett of Colorado, a member of the Intelligence Committee; and Sen. Maggie Hassan of New Hampshire, chair of the Homeland Security subcommittee on emerging threats.
In December, Zelenskyy went to Washington, where he directly appealed to Johnson, Schumer, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., and other congressional leaders for more help.
New York’s Schumer later said: “President Zelensky’s message was direct: Ukraine will win the war against Russia if more aid is approved. But his opposite message was also true: Putin will win if no more aid is approved.” December 12 meeting. “The power of Ukraine, the West, and the United States as a reliable ally is currently in the balance.”