Zelensky’s name will be added to a long list of leaders who have addressed a joint session of the Senate and the House of Representatives.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is expected to receive a standing ovation on Capitol Hill for his speech to a special session of Congress, but it will be up to him to convince lawmakers and senators to continue funding his country’s fight against Russian invaders.
After his meeting at the White House with US President Joe Biden, Zelenskiy will be asked to convince a bipartisan audience. Republicans have repeatedly expressed reservations about spending tens of billions of dollars on Ukraine.
Zelensky’s name will be added to a long list of leaders who have addressed a joint session of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The first was by King Kalakaua of Hawaii in 1874. In wartime, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill and Afghan President Ashraf Ghani addressed the US Congress. The relevant list also includes royals and Pope Francis, the only head of the Roman Catholic Church to have ascended to the speaker’s podium.
It will also be one of the last times House Speaker Nancy Pelosi will preside over the session before Republicans officially take over the majority on Jan. 3.
Planning for Zelensky’s visit and speech to the US Congress began in October, when Pelosi met with the speaker of the Ukrainian parliament, Ruslan Stefanchuk.
Three hundred days after the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Zelensky knows that Congress controls the “purse” of the United States. Zelensky’s historic visit to Washington coincides with a new package of US military aid to Ukraine, including Patriot missiles. The Ukrainian president also aims to send a message to Kremlin strongman Vladimir Putin that the US and its NATO allies remain on Ukraine’s side.
The colors of the Ukrainian flag will dominate the Congress during Zelensky’s reception. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi regularly wears a pin with the flags of the United States and Ukraine. Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer arrived in a blue suit and yellow tie, describing Zelensky as “a leader who is fighting for his life, the survival of his country and Democracy.”
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With a wealth of experience honed over 4+ years in journalism, I bring a seasoned voice to the world of news. Currently, I work as a freelance writer and editor, always seeking new opportunities to tell compelling stories in the field of world news.
