Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky spoke with the United States Congress from his office in Kyiv and called on the U.S. to do more to protect Ukraine.
Zelensky directly addressed both chambers of Congress on Wednesday, speaking to U.S. lawmakers in an extraordinary appeal to the largest military in the world, and huge financial power, at a critical moment in the Russian war against Ukraine.
Russian forces are intensifying assaults on Ukraine, in cities across the country, including the capital city Kyiv.
At the conclusion of his speech, Zelensky said directly to U.S. President Joe Biden in English, that “being the leader of the world means being the leader of peace.”
Biden thanked his Ukrainian counterpart for his speech and said it was a convincing and significant address.
Zelensky’s speech ended with a standing ovation from Congress.
Zelensky asked directly for different types of support from the United States, including an increase in sanctions against Russia. But the center of his address was an appeal for a no-fly zone to be established across Ukraine in order to help the country defend itself from Russian airstrikes.
Ukraine’s president said that Russia has turned the country’s sky into a source of death.
A no-fly zone is something that Biden, nor most Congressional lawmakers, have taken action towards thus far.
Zelensky offered an alternative to a no-fly zone, asking for new air defense systems that would protect Ukrainians against airstrikes, and for new aircrafts in order to defend the airspace.
Zelensky called on Americans to remember Pearl Harbor and September 11 as they watched Ukraine be attacked and Ukrainian civilians are killed by Russian forces. He said that Ukrainians were now experiencing every day what Americans have during their darkest days in history He played videos with scenes of Ukraine under attack by Russia, showing dead bodies and bombings in the country.
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