Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy speaks at the “Human Rights in Dark Times” International Conference in Kyiv, Ukraine on December 9, 2022. Photo: Anadolu Agency via Getty Images
Capitol Hill is preparing to host Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky for a joint session of Congress this week, Axios has learned.
Why it matters: Zelensky has not left Ukraine since Russia launched its brutal invasion on Feb. 24, unleashing incalculable suffering on the Ukrainian people and triggering shock waves throughout the global economy.
- If Zelensky’s first overseas travel is to Washington — 300 days after Russian hitmen parachuted into Kyiv in a failed attempt to assassinate him — it will send a powerful signal that U.S. support for Ukraine is working.
- Congress is poised to pass $45 billion in additional military and economic aid to Ukraine this week as part of its $1.7 trillion omnibus funding bill, bringing total U.S. assistance to over $100 billion.
Driving the news: While the details are not yet finalized, U.S. Capitol Police is beefing up security for a potential Wednesday visit, multiple senior leadership sources tell Axios.
- CNN reports President Biden is also planning to host Zelensky at the White House, and that the visit will coincide with an announcement that the U.S. is sending Patriot missile systems to Ukraine.
- Punchbowl News first reported on the planned visit.
- The trip is dependent on security, per another source familiar.
Between the lines: The incoming House Republican majority has expressed deep reservations about continuing to send aid to Ukraine.
- Zelensky’s visit would give him the chance to meet personally with some of his skeptics — or at the very least GOP leadership — to convince them that U.S. aid is vital and being used responsibly.
- With Hanukkah underway and Christmas approaching, Ukraine is suffering from massive power outages caused by Russian strikes on civilian infrastructure. An emotional appeal by Zelensky could cut through to lawmakers as they prepare to leave town for the holidays.
Flashback: When Zelensky addressed a joint session of Congress virtually back in March, he summoned some of the darkest days in U.S. history — including Pearl Harbor and 9/11 — in his plea for greater assistance.
- For many Americans, the tragedy in Ukraine has receded into the background as fighting rages on with no end in sight.
- For Zelensky, nothing else matters: Just today, he made a surprise trip to the besieged city of Bakhmut to hand out awards to troops involved in one of the war’s fiercest battles.
