Zelenskyy Talks With Johnson, Calls for ‘Quick Passage’ of Ukraine Aid

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy spoke with House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) on March 28 and asked for Congress to urgently pass additional assistance for Ukraine in its war with Russia.

“I spoke with @SpeakerJohnson and thanked him personally, both parties, the American people, and President Biden for their critical support of Ukraine since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion,” posted Mr. Zelenskyy on X, formerly Twitter.

The Ukrainian leader went on to say he updated Mr. Johnson about the latest developments in the war, which has lasted more than two years. He spoke about “the dramatic increase in Russia’s air terror” as “last week alone, 190 missiles, 140 ‘Shahed’ drones, and 700 guided aerial bombs were launched at Ukrainian cities and communities. Ukraine’s largest hydroelectric power plant has gone offline.”

Shahed drones are from Iran, which has supported Russia militarily with drones and other materiel.

Mr. Zelenskyy urged “quick passage of US aid to Ukraine by Congress,” calling it “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,” he said.

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“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,” continued Mr. Zelenskyy.

The Epoch Times has reached out to Mr. Johnson’s office for comment.

Mr. Johnson has been supportive of assistance for Ukraine but has also called for the enactment of tough U.S. southern border security measures. Under his leadership, the House objected to a Senate package that included border security measures in addition to assistance for Ukraine. Republicans claimed the border security part was inadequate.

Mr. Johnson said on Feb. 6 that funding for Ukraine has “not been abandoned.”

“We’ll talk about the Ukraine measure going forward. That’s not been abandoned,” Mr. Johnson told reporters.

“But there’s a lot more work that needs to be done with regard to what the answers that the White House needs to provide us: End game, strategy, accountability for the funding, all of these very specific details that the House is required to consider when we make such heavy decisions, and we‘ll continue that,” he said. “We’ll continue seeking the answers from the White House, and we’ll process it as we go.”

In November, Mr. Johnson said that funding for the Eastern European country, as well as for Israel, is a “priority.”

“Of course, we can’t allow Vladimir Putin to march through Europe,” said Mr. Johnson.

“We understand the necessity of assisting there. What we’ve said is that if there is to be additional assistance to Ukraine—which most members of Congress believe is important—we have to also work on changing our own border policy.”

Democrat members of Congress are looking to force a vote on a Senate-passed $95 billion foreign aid package that includes support for Ukraine.

Their effort takes the form of a discharge position sponsored by a ranking member of the House Rules Committee, Rep. Jim McGovern (D–Mass.). It has 191 signatures. In order to force a vote, 216 signatures, a majority of the House, are required.

“What we are asking our colleagues—Democrats and Republicans—is to sign the discharge petition that will bring to the floor the Senate national security bipartisan supplemental,” said Rep. Pete Aguilar (D–Calif.), chair of the House Democratic Caucus, on March 12 during a press briefing in the Capitol.

“That is the fastest and easiest way to solve this issue.”

Congress is on recess and returns the week of April 8.

T.J. Muscaro contributed to this report.