In address to Congress, Zelenskyy thanks 'every American,' says he sees 'turning point' in war
Ukraine바카라 게임 웹사이트s Volodymyr Zelenskyy told cheering U.S. legislators during a defiant wartime visit to the nation바카라 게임 웹사이트s capital on Wednesday that against all odds his country still stands, thanking Americans for helping to fund the war effort with money that is 바카라 게임 웹사이트not charity,바카라 게임 웹사이트 but an 바카라 게임 웹사이트investment바카라 게임 웹사이트 in global security and democracy.
The whirlwind stop in Washington 바카라 게임 웹사이트 his first known trip outside his country since Russia invaded in February 바카라 게임 웹사이트 was aimed at reinvigorating support for his country in the U.S. and around the world at a time when there is concern that allies are growing weary of the costly war and its disruption to global food and energy supplies.
Zelenskyy called the tens of billions of dollars in U.S. military and economic assistance provided over the past year vital to Ukraine바카라 게임 웹사이트s efforts to beat back Russia and appealed for even more in the future.
바카라 게임 웹사이트Your money is not charity,바카라 게임 웹사이트 he sought to reassure both those in the room and those watching at home. 바카라 게임 웹사이트It바카라 게임 웹사이트s an investment in the global security and democracy that we handle in the most responsible way.바카라 게임 웹사이트
Just before his arrival, the U.S. , including for the first time . And Congress planned to vote this week on a fresh spending package that includes about $45 billion in additional emergency assistance to Ukraine.
The speech to Congress came after President Joe Biden hosted Zelenskyy in the Oval Office for strategy consultations, saying the U.S. and Ukraine would maintain their 바카라 게임 웹사이트united defense바카라 게임 웹사이트 as Russia wages a 바카라 게임 웹사이트brutal assault on Ukraine바카라 게임 웹사이트s right to exist as a nation.바카라 게임 웹사이트 Biden pledged to help bring about a 바카라 게임 웹사이트just peace.바카라 게임 웹사이트
Zelenskyy told Biden that he had wanted to visit sooner and his visit now demonstrates that the 바카라 게임 웹사이트situation is under control, because of your support.바카라 게임 웹사이트
The highly sensitive trip came after 10 months of a brutal war that has seen tens of thousands of casualties on both sides and devastation for Ukrainian civilians.
Zelenskyy traveled to Washington aboard a U.S. Air Force jet. The visit had been long sought by both sides, but the right conditions only came together in the last 10 days, U.S. officials said, after high-level discussions about the security both of Zelenskyy and of his people while he was outside of Ukraine. Zelenskyy spent less than 10 hours in Washington before beginning the journey back to Ukraine.
In his remarks to lawmakers, Zelenskky harked back to U.S. victories in the Battle of the Bulge, a turning point against Nazi Germany in World War II, and the Revolutionary War Battle of Saratoga, an American victory that helped draw France바카라 게임 웹사이트s aid for U.S. independence. The Ukrainian leader predicted that next year would be a 바카라 게임 웹사이트turning point바카라 게임 웹사이트 in the conflict, 바카라 게임 웹사이트when Ukrainian courage and American resolve must guarantee the future of our common freedom 바카라 게임 웹사이트 the freedom of people who stand for their values.바카라 게임 웹사이트
Zelenskyy received thunderous applause from members of Congress and presented lawmakers with a Ukrainian flag autographed by front-line troops in Bakhmut, in Ukraine바카라 게임 웹사이트s contested Donetsk province. The flag was displayed behind him on the rostrum by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Vice President Kamala Harris. Pelosi, in turn, presented Zelenskyy with an American flag that had flown over the Capitol that day, and Zelenskyy pumped it up and down as he exited the chamber.
Declaring in his speech that Ukraine 바카라 게임 웹사이트will never surrender,바카라 게임 웹사이트 Zelenskyy warned that the stakes of the conflict were greater than just the fate of his nation 바카라 게임 웹사이트 that democracy worldwide is being tested.
바카라 게임 웹사이트This battle cannot be ignored, hoping that the ocean or something else will provide protection,바카라 게임 웹사이트 he said, speaking in English for what he had billed as a 바카라 게임 웹사이트speech to Americans.바카라 게임 웹사이트
Earlier, in a joint news conference with Biden, Zelenskyy was pressed on how Ukraine would try to bring an end to the conflict. He rejected Biden바카라 게임 웹사이트s framing of finding a 바카라 게임 웹사이트just peace,바카라 게임 웹사이트 saying, 바카라 게임 웹사이트For me as a president, 바카라 게임 웹사이트just peace바카라 게임 웹사이트 is no compromises.바카라 게임 웹사이트 He said the war would end once Ukraine바카라 게임 웹사이트s sovereignty, freedom and territorial integrity were restored, and Russia had paid back Ukraine for all the damage inflicted by its forces.
바카라 게임 웹사이트There can바카라 게임 웹사이트t be any 바카라 게임 웹사이트just peace바카라 게임 웹사이트 in the war that was imposed on us,바카라 게임 웹사이트 he added.
Biden, for his part, said Russia was 바카라 게임 웹사이트trying to use winter as a weapon, but Ukrainian people continue to inspire the world." During the news conference, he said Russian President Vladimir Putin had 바카라 게임 웹사이트no intention of stopping this cruel war.바카라 게임 웹사이트
The two leaders appeared to share a warm rapport, laughing at each other's comments and patting each other on the back throughout the visit, though Zelenskyy made clear he will continue to press Biden and other Western leaders for ever more support.
He said that after the Patriot system was up and running, 바카라 게임 웹사이트we will send another signal to President Biden that we would like to get more Patriots."
바카라 게임 웹사이트We are in the war," Zelenskyy added with a smile, as Biden chuckled at the direct request. 바카라 게임 웹사이트I바카라 게임 웹사이트m sorry. I바카라 게임 웹사이트m really sorry."
Biden told Zelenskyy that it was 바카라 게임 웹사이트important for the American people, and for the world, to hear directly from you, Mr. President, about Ukraine바카라 게임 웹사이트s fight, and the need to continue to stand together through 2023."
Zelenskyy had headed to Washington after making Tuesday to what he called the hottest spot on the 800-mile front line of the war, the city of Bakhmut.
Poland바카라 게임 웹사이트s private broadcaster, TVN24, said Zelenskyy crossed into Poland early Wednesday on his way to Washington. The station showed footage of what appeared to be Zelenskyy arriving at a train station and being escorted to a motorcade of American SUVs. TVN24 said the video, partially blurred for security reasons, was shot in Przemysl, a Polish border town that has been the arrival point for many refugees fleeing the war.
Officials, citing security concerns, were cagey about Zelenskyy's travel plans, but a U.S. official confirmed that Zelenskyy arrived on a U.S. Air Force jet that landed at Joint Base Andrews, just outside the capital, from the Polish city of Rzeszow.
Biden told Zelenskyy, who wore a combat-green sweatshirt and boots, that 바카라 게임 웹사이트it바카라 게임 웹사이트s an honor to be by your side.바카라 게임 웹사이트
U.S. and Ukrainian officials have made clear they do not envision an imminent resolution to the war and are preparing for fighting to continue for some time. The latest infusion of U.S. money would be the biggest yet 바카라 게임 웹사이트 and exceed Biden바카라 게임 웹사이트s $37 billion request.
Biden repeated that while the U.S. will arm and train Ukraine, American forces will not be directly engaged in the war.
The latest U.S. military aid package includes not only a but precision guided bombs for fighter jets, U.S. officials said. It represents an expansion in the kinds of advanced weaponry intended to bolster Ukraine's air defenses against what has been an increasing barrage of Russian missiles.
Russia바카라 게임 웹사이트s Foreign Ministry has said the delivery of the advanced surface-to-air missile system would be and that the system and any crews accompanying it would be a legitimate target for Moscow바카라 게임 웹사이트s military.
바카라 게임 웹사이트It바카라 게임 웹사이트s a defensive system," Biden said of sending the missile system. "It바카라 게임 웹사이트s not escalatory 바카라 게임 웹사이트 it바카라 게임 웹사이트s defensive.바카라 게임 웹사이트
The visit comes at an important moment, with the White House bracing for greater resistance when Republicans take control of the House in January and give more scrutiny to aid for Ukraine. GOP leader Kevin McCarthy of California has said his party will not write a 바카라 게임 웹사이트blank check바카라 게임 웹사이트 for Ukraine.
Zelenskky appeared well aware of political divisions in the U.S. over prolonged overseas spending, and called on the House and Senate lawmakers to ensure American leadership remains 바카라 게임 웹사이트bicameral and bipartisan.바카라 게임 웹사이트
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer opened the chamber's session on Wednesday by saying that passage of the aid package and confirmation of the new U.S. ambassador to Russia, Lynne M. Tracy, would send a strong signal that Americans stand 바카라 게임 웹사이트unequivocally바카라 게임 웹사이트 with Ukraine. Tracy was confirmed later on a 93-2 vote.
The Senate's top Republican, Kentucky Sen. Mitch McConnell, said 바카라 게임 웹사이트the most basic reasons for continuing to help Ukraine degrade and defeat the Russian invaders are cold, hard, practical American interests.바카라 게임 웹사이트 He said "defeating Russia바카라 게임 웹사이트s aggression will help prevent further security crises in Europe."
Russia바카라 게임 웹사이트s invasion, which , has lost momentum. The illegally annexed provinces of Donetsk, Kherson, Luhansk and Zaporizhzhia remain fiercely contested.
With the fighting in the east at a stalemate, Moscow has used missiles and drones to attack Ukraine바카라 게임 웹사이트s power equipment, hoping to leave people without electricity as freezing weather sets in.
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Castillo reported from Kyiv, Ukraine. Associated Press writers Farnoush Amiri, Lolita C. Baldor, Tara Copp, Kevin Freking, Aamer Madhani, Chris Megerian and Seung Min Kim contributed to this report.