“I feel that Speaker McCarthy — he by no means visited Kyiv or Ukraine. I feel it will assist him along with his place. After they come to us … they see the provision routes, each shell, each bullet, each greenback.
“Mr. McCarthy, he has to come back right here to see how we work, what’s taking place right here, what warfare precipitated us, which individuals are combating now, who’re combating now. After which after that, make your assumptions,” Zelensky stated.
Each Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Senate Minority Chief Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), who strongly help persevering with to supply help to Ukraine, have visited Kyiv since Russia invaded, as have a number of different lawmakers from each side of the aisle.
McCarthy, who has repeatedly stated he helps Ukraine however not “a clean verify,” appeared to wave off the notion of touring to Ukraine.
“I don’t must go to Ukraine to know the place there’s a clean verify or not,” McCarthy advised CNN’s Manu Raju Tuesday.
In December, Zelensky made a shock go to to Washington to enchantment for extra help in an handle to a joint assembly of Congress.
“Your cash shouldn’t be charity. It’s an funding within the international safety and democracy that we deal with in essentially the most accountable method,” Zelensky stated then.
Congress has appropriated billions in help for Ukraine on the finish of final 12 months, which was anticipated to final by means of September.
On the primary anniversary of the Russian invasion, McConnell urged the US and its allies to resume their resolve to assist Ukraine because it stands as much as Russian “thuggery,” tacitly pushing again towards members of his personal celebration who’ve develop into loudly skeptical of Ukraine’s battle.
“America and our mates want to complete waking up from our vacation from historical past, welcome Finland and Sweden into NATO by this summer time, and make important investments in navy modernization and our defense-industrial capacities which are commensurate with the key challenges we face,” McConnell stated.
McConnell’s help stands in stark distinction to former president Donald Trump and a few congressional Republicans, who’ve known as for ending or slowing help to Ukraine. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga), a hard-right ally of McCarthy and considered one of dozens of Home Republicans to vote towards Ukraine help in Might, known as Biden’s journey to Kyiv “insulting” and proof that he “selected Ukraine over America.” Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) has launched laws to finish help to Ukraine.
At a conservative discussion board final week, Greene stated the U.S. ought to be pushing for peace in Ukraine “as an alternative of funding and persevering with a warfare that appears to be escalating and placing the whole world susceptible to World Conflict Three.”
Liz Goodwin contributed to this report.