Authored by Patricia Zengerle
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy made a return visit to the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday to strengthen ties with lawmakers who hold the key to future U.S. aid for his country. This aid could be at risk if former President Donald Trump is reelected.
Zelenskiy, in Washington for the NATO summit this week, engaged in meetings with leaders from the Senate and House of Representatives, as well as members of key committees related to defense, spending, diplomacy, and national security.
“It’s a critically important mission, and we must show our support for Ukraine,” stated Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Mark Warner in an interview with Reuters.
The visit comes at a time of uncertainty surrounding this year’s U.S. presidential election, with incumbent Democrat Joe Biden, a strong advocate for aid to Ukraine, facing off against Republican Trump, who has questioned the level of assistance provided.
Zelenskiy honored Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell with the Order of Merit of Ukraine before having lunch with a bipartisan group of senators. He also met with Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson, inviting him to Kyiv.
Johnson, a close ally of Trump, expressed challenges in finding time for a trip before the November election, when all House seats will be up for election and Republicans aim to maintain or expand their slim majority.
Biden’s recent debate performance and public approval ratings have sparked concerns about his mental acuity, leading some congressional Democrats to call for his resignation.
A report by Reuters revealed that Trump advisors have proposed a plan, should he win the election, to end Russia’s conflict in Ukraine by conditioning further U.S. weapon support on Kyiv’s engagement in peace talks.
In a speech on Tuesday, Zelenskiy urged U.S. leaders not to delay in assisting Ukraine and called for less stringent restrictions on the use of American weaponry.
“People understand that (Russian President Vladimir Putin) would not stop if he took Kyiv. He’s a ruthless dictator in my view,” Johnson said.
(This story has been refiled to correct the spelling of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy’s name in paragraph 1)