Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Thursday pleaded with House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., for aid in his country’s war against Russia, posting on X that the key in Congress "is to keep the issue of aid to Ukraine as a unifying factor."
"I spoke with @SpeakerJohnson and thanked him personally, both parties, the American people, and President Biden for their critical support of Ukraine since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion," Zelenskyy wrote in the post. "I briefed Speaker Johnson on the battlefield situation, specifically the dramatic increase in Russia's air terror. Last week alone, 190 missiles, 140 'Shahed' drones, and 700 guided aerial bombs were launched at Ukrainian cities and communities. Ukraine's largest hydroelectric power plant has gone offline.
"In this situation, quick passage of US aid to Ukraine by Congress is vital. We recognize that there are differing views in the House of Representatives on how to proceed, but the key is to keep the issue of aid to Ukraine as a unifying factor. We also discussed the importance of cutting off Russia's sources of funding for its war as soon as possible and using frozen Russian assets for Ukraine’s benefit. We also rely on the leadership of Congress in this regard."
For more than a month, Johnson has sat on a funding package that would send ammunition and weaponry to Ukraine, mulling how best to gain a grasp of what is expected to be a difficult lift in the House.
He has indicated he will attempt to push for approval of tens of billions in wartime funding for Ukraine, as well as Israel once the House returns in April. Yet, it will be perhaps his most challenging task since he took the speaker’s gavel late last year.
"We’ll turn our attention to it, and we won’t delay on that," he said of the Ukraine package at a news conference last week.
Still, Johnson has waited to act at a time when Russia is renewing its missile attacks on Kyiv. In Ukraine’s eastern regions, soldiers are running low on ammunition as they attempt to hold off a surge of Russian soldiers to the front lines. European leaders and analysts are warning that the conflict could grow into a much larger clash that involves NATO allies and direct American military involvement if Russia prevails in Ukraine.
Information from the Associated Press was used in this report.