A U.S. congressional delegation led by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is vowing continued U.S. support to help Ukraine defeat Russia.
They spoke in Poland on Sunday after visiting Kyiv to assess Ukraine's needs for the next phase of the war and for a meeting with President Volodymr Zelenskyy. The members praised the courage of the Ukrainian people and said the U.S. would stand with them until they secured victory.
Pelosi is second in line to the presidency after the vice president. She was the most senior American lawmaker to visit Ukraine since Russia's war began more than two months ago. Her previously unannounced visit came just days after Moscow bombed the Ukrainian capital while the U.N. secretary-general was there.
“We were proud to convey to him the message of unity from the Congress of the United States, a message of appreciation from the American people for his leadership and admiration for the people of Ukraine for their courage,” Pelosi said.
“This is a time we stand up for democracy or we allow autocracy to rule the day,” said Rep. Gregory Meeks, a Democrat from New York.
“This is a struggle of freedom against tyranny,” said Rep. Adam Schiff, a Democrat from California. “And in that struggle, Ukraine is on the front lines.”
Rep. Jason Crow, a Democrat from Colorado, a veteran and a member of the House intelligence and armed services committee, said he came to Ukraine with three areas of focus: “Weapons, weapons and weapons.”
“We have to make sure the Ukrainians have what they need to win. What we have seen in the last two months is their ferocity, their intense pride, their ability to fight and their ability to win if they have the support to do so.”
“The United States of America is in this to win, and we will stand with Ukraine until victory is won,” he added.
“You all are welcome,” Zelenskyy told the delegation, according to a video of the encounter released by his office.
Pelosi told Zelenskyy: “We believe that we are visiting you to say thank you for your fight for freedom.”
“We are on a frontier of freedom and your fight is a fight for everyone. Our commitment is to be there for you until the fight is done,” Pelosi added.
