Zelensky talks with Speaker Johnson, pleads for more military aid amid standstill in Congress
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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky revealed that he talked with House Speaker Mike Johnson Thursday as Congress is expected to reconsider replenishing aid to the war-torn ally over the coming weeks.
Zelensky thanked Johnson (R-La.) and other top officials for their “critical support” amid Russia’s unprovoked invasion and reiterated his entreaty for additional military aid.
“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,” Zelensky wrote on X.
The Ukrainian president also briefed Johnson on Russia’s recent escalation of “air terror” on the battlefield, including the use of 700 guided aerial bombs in in Ukrainian cities, 140 “Shahed” drones, and 190 missiles.
“Ukraine’s largest hydroelectric power plant has gone offline,” Zelensky noted.
Johnson has publicly expressed support for marshaling fresh aid to Kyiv, but he declined to take up the supplemental that cleared the Senate last month and allocated $60 billion for Ukraine-related efforts.
“It was important for us to not put the supplemental in front of the appropriations bills because it would affect, probably, the vote tally ultimately on the appropriations and we had to get our government funded,” Johnson previously told The Post.
Last week, Congress wrapped up appropriations for the fiscal year 2023 — and was six months late in doing so — then adjourned until April 9.
Multiple sources have told The Post they expect Johnson to turn his attention to Ukraine after Easter now that the government will remain funded for the fiscal year.
But Johnson is staring down a risk of a revolt similar to the one that took down his predecessor, former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) last October.
Just before wrangling through the last of the appropriations bills, firebrand Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) flashed a motion to vacate the chair as a “warning” against him.
She previously threatened to do so if he brought up aid to Ukraine for a floor vote.
However, some Democrats have actively toyed with the idea of rescuing him even as the Republican edge in the lower chamber is poised to slip to a one-seat majority next month.
One factor that remains uncertain is how Congress will fund a supplemental to Ukraine. Some lawmakers have floated various arrangements such as loans, grants, or strict military aid.
The Senate’s Ukraine package, which was part of a broader $95 billion supplemental that also featured aid to Israel and Taiwan, would have provided both humanitarian and military support to Kyiv.
Zelenksy also stressed the need for the US to take further punitive actions against the Kremlin.
“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,” he added.
President Biden and top Democrats have repeatedly pressured Republicans in Congress to re-up assistance to Ukraine. Biden had asked for renewed support in August of last year.
An effort to pair Ukraine aid with border security reforms went belly up in the Senate last month.
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