Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, drawing parallels to horrific moments in American history to explain his country’s plight, called on the U.S. to ramp up its aid to Ukraine in a virtual address to Congress on Wednesday, three weeks into his nation’s fierce struggle to repel invading Russian troops.
“Right now, the destiny of our country is being decided, the destiny of our people,” said Zelenskyy, who drew a standing ovation from Congress at the start of his speech from Kyiv. “Whether Ukrainians will be free, whether they will be able to save their democracy.”
Zelenskyy referenced Pearl Harbor and the Sept. 11 attacks to explain to members of Congress the situation his country faces now. This is Ukraine’s experience “every day, right now.” In English at the end of his speech, he addressed President Joe Biden directly: “President Biden, you are the leader of your great nation.
I wish you to be the leader of the world. Being the leader of the world means to be the leader of peace.” He added, “I call on you to do more.” “We need you right now,” Zelenskyy said, adding, “I call on you to do more.” In urging a steeper economic hit to the Russians, he said: “Peace is more important than income.”
Lawmakers gave him a standing ovation, before and after his short remarks, which Zelenskyy began in Ukrainian through an interpreter but then switched to English in a heartfelt appeal to help end the bloodshed. “I see no sense in life if it cannot stop the deaths,” he told them.
Nearing the three-week mark in an ever-escalating war, Zelenskyy is using the world’s leading legislative bodies as a stage to implore allied leaders to stop the Russian airstrikes that are devastating his country. It has also put Zelenskyy at odds with President Joe Biden, whose administration has stopped short of providing a no-fly zone or the transfer of military jets from neighboring Poland as the U.S. seeks to avoid a direct confrontation with Russia.
