WASHINGTON —
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky appealed directly to US lawmakers Wednesday with an emotional request for additional financial support, weaponry and a no-fly zone to help his country fend off the Russian invasion, a remarkably rare speech that effectively circumvented the White House and went directly to the American people.
“Friends, Ukraine is grateful to the United States for its overwhelming support for everything that your government and your people have done for us,” Zelensky said, speaking mostly through a translator. “I call on you to do more.”
The first virtual address by a foreign leader to Congress — and certainly the first delivered by a T-shirt clad leader in a war-torn foreign capital — landed powerfully with lawmakers who almost universally said more needs to be done to help the Ukrainian people.
Zelensky’s 17-minute speech had a deeply personal, emotional appeal. He likened the Russian invasion in Ukraine to some of America’s darkest moments: Dec. 7, 1941, at Pearl Harbor and Sept. 11, 2001, in New York, Washington and Pennsylvania.
A video graphically depicted destroyed Ukrainian buildings and the escalating civilian suffering, much of it by children. Briefly speaking in English, he mourned that he sees “no sense in life if I cannot stop the deaths.”
Zelensky asked Congress for an air defense system, new sanctions on every politician in the Russian Federation and a no-fly zone over his country.
“Is this a lot to ask for — to create a no-fly zone over Ukraine to save people?” Zelensky said.
While the audience was lawmakers, the intended target was still mostly Biden, who controls the levers of money and military supplies the US can quickly send out the door.
The speech — aired in the Capitol as well as on the television networks — aimed to turn up the political pressure on Biden.
It “was clearly intended for an audience sitting in the White House, and I hope they were listening,” said Sen. Jim Risch (R-Idaho), the top Republican on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. “The administration needs to step up and lead.”
In a sign of the political potency of the speech, within hours the White House rolled out a new $800-million package of aid that met many of his requests: 800 new anti-aircraft systems, 9,000 shoulder-mounted missiles and 7,000 small arms such as machines guns.
The package will also include drone aircraft, “which demonstrates our commitment to sending our most cutting-edge systems,” Biden said in an address from the White House.
“We’re going to give Ukraine the arms to fight and defend themselves through all the difficult days ahead,” Biden said. “This could be a long and difficult battle, but the American people will be steadfast in our support of the people of Ukraine in the face of Putin’s immoral, unethical attacks on civilian populations.”
He called Russian President Vladimir Putin a “war criminal.”
But Biden and many lawmakers of both parties maintained that they won’t support a no-fly zone, which they worry would result in a direct US or NATO clash with Russia.
Even those who agree with Biden’s position on a no-fly zone acknowledged Zelensky’s right to ask the world to do all it can to save his country.
Zelensky “should be taking a maximalist position. I would if I was in his position,” said Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.). “Ninety-five percent of the time, we will be aligned with Ukraine. There are going to be certain moments where things he’s asking for are not in the security interest of the United States.”
Zelensky’s appeal may push the president and US lawmakers to more closely define the line at which they may be willing to engage directly with Russia, a delineation that few have been willing to spell out so far in the conflict. The White House so far has ruled out any direct military confrontation with Russia.
After days of communicating with foreign heads of state, Zelensky rolled out a new strategy to go directly to foreign legislatures and because those addresses are broadcast to the public, to the international public. Zelensky addressed the Canadian Parliament on Tuesday.
As the war has unfolded, Congress’ prodding of the White House to do more for Ukraine has worked. Congress pushed the White House to ban the importation of Russian oil, a prohibition Biden announced only after it became clear Congress would have done so without him.
Republicans have generally been more hawkish about greater engagement.
“Provide them the MiGs [jets], provide them the planes and they can create a no-fly zone,” said House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Bakersfield). Zelensky “has never asked for American men or women to be in a battle zone. All he’s ever asked for is: ‘Give us an opportunity to defend ourselves.’”
“They need more javelins [portable anti-tank missiles]. They need more ammo. They need more Stingers [surface-to-air missiles] …. They need more airplanes. They need more of everything,” said Sen. Ben Sasse (R-Neb.).
“Zelensky has the courage of his convictions. The question he asked the Congress and the United States government is, will we have the courage of ours? We’re a super power. We should act like it.”
The last time Zelensky was mentioned so frequently on Capitol Hill was in former President Trump’s first impeachment in late 2019 and early 2020. Trump was accused of withholding aid to Ukraine as leverage to get Zelensky to investigate his then-political rival, Biden.
Now many of the Republicans who supported Trump during the impeachment trial are calling for the Biden administration to do more to defend Ukraine and Zelensky.
Times staff writer Eli Stokols contributed to this report.
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