Ukrainian First Girl Olena Zelenska speaks to members of the US Congress about Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, within the US Capitol Guests Middle Auditorium on July 20, 2022, in Washington, DC.
Saul Loeb | AFP | Getty Pictures
WASHINGTON — Ukraine’s first woman, Olena Zelenska, on Wednesday urged bipartisan lawmakers to ship extra weapons to her homeland because it repels Russia’s full-scale invasion.
Zelenska addressed members of Congress from the identical room that her husband, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, did in March. He appeared nearly, as Russia’s struggle had simply begun.
“I am asking for one thing now I’d by no means need to ask,” Zelenska mentioned on the U.S. Capitol. “I am asking for weapons, weapons that will not be used to wage a struggle on any individual else’s land, however to guard one’s residence and the suitable to get up alive in that residence.”
Zelenska started her 15-minute handle with a photograph presentation of Ukrainian youngsters killed by Russian missile strikes and shelling throughout the nation.
“I am asking for air protection methods to ensure that rockets to not kill,” Zelenska mentioned earlier than a backdrop of graphic and disturbing photographs from devastated Ukrainian streets.
“Whereas Russia kills, America saves, and you must find out about it. We thanks for that,” Zelenska added, pointing to the 15 navy assist packages dedicated to date.
Forward of her handle to Congress, Zelenska met with first woman Jill Biden on the White Home and Secretary of State Antony Blinken on the State Division.
Biden final met with Zelenska throughout a shock journey to Ukraine on Mom’s Day.
First woman Jill Biden receives flowers from Olena Zelenska, partner of Ukrainian’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, outdoors of College 6, a public faculty that has taken in displaced college students in Uzhhorod, Ukraine, Sunday, Might 8, 2022.
Susan Walsh | AP
Zelenska mentioned further weapons packages whereas on the White Home and, whereas on the State Division, talked in regards to the mounting struggle crimes dedicated by Russian forces in Ukraine.
Nationwide Safety Council spokesperson John Kirby mentioned Tuesday that the U.S. is assembling its sixteenth safety help equipment, which is tailor-made for the combating in japanese Ukraine.
The U.S. has supplied about $8 billion in navy assist because the struggle started in late February, together with about $2.2 billion up to now month.
Secretary of Protection Lloyd Austin mentioned earlier on Wednesday that the following tranche of weapons will embrace extra Excessive Mobility Artillery Rocket Methods, or HIMARS. With the 4 further heavy rocket methods, the U.S. could have given 16 HIMARS to Ukraine.
The HIMARS, manufactured by protection big Lockheed Martin, are designed to shoot quite a lot of missiles from a cell 5-ton truck.
