Al Jazeera:
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has delivered a defiant wartime message in Washington, DC, in which he thanked US leaders and “ordinary Americans” for supporting his country’s fight against Russia and reminded them that military assistance to Ukraine was not “charity” but an “investment” in a democratic world.
Invoking memories of the United States’s victory over Nazi Germany in a key World War II battle, Zelenskyy also said there could be “no compromises” in trying to bring an end to Russia’s war on his country.
In his first trip outside of Ukraine since the war began in February, Zelenskyy told a joint session of the US Senate and House of Representatives on Wednesday that he hoped they would continue to support his country’s war effort on a bipartisan basis.
“Your money is not charity,” Zelenskyy said in English, clad in his customary khaki fatigues.
“It is an investment in the global security and democracy,” he said.
His bi-partisan appeal comes as Republicans are due to take the majority in the US House in January and when some in the party have voiced concern over the soaring levels of assistance sent to Kyiv.
The US has so far sent about $50bn in assistance to Kyiv, with Secretary of State Antony Blinken announcing another $1.85bn in military aid on Wednesday, including the Patriot air defence system. The Patriot missile system is deemed to be one of the most advanced US air defence systems, offering protection against attacking aircraft as well as cruise and ballistic missiles.
