Ukraine’s president to speak remotely to US Congress again on Wednesday
Washington, Mar 14 (EFE).- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will remotely address members of the United States Congress once again on Wednesday, the leaders of the US Senate and US House of Representatives announced.
In a letter to lawmakers on Monday, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi invited them to attend that speech on March 16 at 9 am (1300 GMT).
“Congress remains unwavering in our commitment to supporting Ukraine as they face (Russian President Vladimir) Putin’s cruel and diabolical aggression, and to passing legislation to cripple and isolate the Russian economy as well as deliver humanitarian, security and economic assistance to Ukraine,” Pelosi and Schumer said.
In a zoom video call on March 5, Zelenskyy spoke to 280 US lawmakers and asked them to send more planes to Ukraine, ban imports of Russian oil and exclude Russia from the Visa and Mastercard payment systems.
He also called on the US-led North Atlantic Treaty Organization to impose a no-fly zone over Ukraine to end Russian attacks from the air, although Western governments have rejected that request thus far over fears that move would lead to clashes between Russian and NATO aircraft.
Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine began on Feb. 24, Western nations have imposed a series of severe sanctions aimed at damaging that country’s economy.
Among other measures, the US has banned all Russian oil and gas imports and Western countries have prevented Russia’s central bank from stabilizing the ruble through the sale of the dollars, euros and other foreign currencies it holds in its reserves stockpile.
Responding to Zelenskyy’s request for more help in battling Russian troops, US President Joe Biden on Saturday authorized an additional $200 million in weapons and equipment for Ukraine.
That lifts the total amount of US military aid for Kyiv over the past year to $1.2 billion.
The new weapons package includes Javelin anti-tank missiles and Stinger anti-aircraft missiles that the US Armed Forces already is holding in stockpiles in Europe and are to be shipped overland to Ukraine via the neighboring countries of Poland and Ukraine. EFE
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