(Headline USA) Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy cited Pearl Harbor and the Sept. 11 terror attacks on Wednesday as he appealed to the U.S. Congress to do more to help Ukraine’s fight against Russia, but acknowledged the no-fly zone he has sought to “close the sky” over his country may not happen.
Using the same historic examples that Vice President Kamala Harris controversially invoked as comparisons to the Jan. 6 Capitol protest, Zelenskyy, a former actor and master propagandist deftly tugged at the heart strings of American lawmakers during the joint session via televised broadcast.
“Remember Pearl Harbor? Remember September 11?” Zelenzkyy asked. “Our countries experience the same every day right now.”
Unlike the divisive Harris, however, Zelenskyy sought to emphasize those events as inflection points that brought out the best in US exceptionalism—and appeared largely to have succeeded in swaying both Democrats and Republicans.
Livestreamed into the Capitol complex, Zelenskyy, clad in a short-sleeved army T-shirt, said the U.S. must sanction Russian lawmakers and block imports.
He showed a packed auditorium a graphic video of the destruction and devastation his country has suffered in the war, along with heartbreaking scenes of civilian casualties.
This is the video that Ukrainian President Zelensky just played for Congress. pic.twitter.com/waTxPAiQBx
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) March 16, 2022
“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.
Zelinskyy also cited one of America’s most patriotic landmarks, Mount Rushmore, in his appeal.
President Zelenskyy also mentioned Mount Rushmore, Pearl Harbor and 9/11 as he compared America’s fight for freedom to that of Ukraine. pic.twitter.com/602tA0Qbxr
— Scott Whitlock (@ScottJW) March 16, 2022
He drew on U.S. history and the faces of past presidents on Mount Rushmore in telling the lawmakers that people in his country want to live their our national dream, just like the you have,” he said. “Democracy, independence, freedom.”
Three weeks into the Russian military invasion, Zelenskyy has been imploring allied leaders to stop the airstrikes. Thus far, President Joe Biden’s administration has rebuffed calls for 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.
Zelenskyy specifically called on Biden to step up his leadership as the dithering president has thus far remained noncommittal with the exception of ineffective sanctions that have done more to harm American energy imports than stop Russia’s war machine.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy calls on Joe Biden ‘to be the leader of the world [which] means being the leader of peace’
— Twitchy Team (@TwitchyTeam) March 16, 2022
“You are the leader of the nation. I wish you be the leader of the world,” he sad “Being the leader of the world means being the leader of peace.”
Invoking Shakespeare’s hero last week, Zelenskyy asked the British House of Commons whether Ukraine is “to be or not to be.”
Following Zelenskyy’s speech Biden was set to deliver his own remarks, announcing an additional $800 million in security assistance to Ukraine. That would bring the total announced in the last week alone to $1 billion. It includes money for anti-armor and air-defense weapons, according to a White House official.
The U.S. Congress has been largely unified in its support of Ukraine. Sen. Angus King, I-Maine, said there was a “collective holding of the breath” in the room during Zelenskyy’s address.
Outside the Capitol a group of protesters held a large sign lawmakers saw as they walked back to their offices. “No Fly Zone=World War 3.”
Majority Whip Dick Durbin, D-Ill., called the address heartbreaking and pledged to take on any action to stop the aggression on the Ukrainian people. “I’m on board with a blank check on sanctions, just whatever we can do to stop this Russian advance,” he said.
Sen. Kevin Cramer, R-ND, said that even with a no-fly zone off the table, American air defense systems could play a role.
“We must let the requests of President Zelensky be more important to us than the reactions of President Putin,” Cramer said.
“We as a nation have for too long allowed the bully to dictate the terms of our engagement. That should not be the case,” he added. “Our values, our level of freedom, and our respect for rule of law which President Zelensky referenced in his speech should motivate us.”
Cramer also slammed Biden for his inaction.
“We’ve been involved in discussions and urging President Biden to do more than he’s done,” he said. “President Biden has as always been about a day late—in some cases a week late—in meeting the demands that are obvious to a lot of us.”
Not all Republicans were equally enthusiastic, however.
Rep. Lee Zeldin, R-NY, the current frontrunner in his state’s upcoming gubernatorial race, encouraged a stronger use of diplomacy.
“My position remains that the United States must use all diplomatic, informational and economic instruments of national power at our disposal to support Ukraine and deter Russia’s aggression. The purpose and goal must be to help de-escalate this conflict as soon as possible.”
Rep. Madison Cawthorn, R-NC, lauded Ukrainians’ resiliance but emphasized that any risk of escalating the conflict militarily could have disasterouns consequences.
“A war with Russia does not further the interests of America or the national security of the United States,” he said.
“I do not support neocons both on the left and in my party who clamor for war at every chance they get,” he continued. “The scenes coming from Ukraine are both jarring and heartbreaking. But lurching to war or involving American soldiers in this conflict could lead to identical jarring and heartbreaking scenes with American lives.”
Biden has insisted there will be no U.S. troops on the ground in Ukraine and has resisted Zelenskyy’s relentless pleas for warplanes as too risky.
“Direct conflict between NATO and Russia is World War III,” Biden has said.
Zelenskyy appeared to acknowledge the political reality of his request to “close the sky” as he seeks other military aid from the U.S.
“Is this to too much to ask to create a no fly zone over Ukraine?” he asked, answering his own question. “If this is too much to ask, we offer an alternative,” calling for weapons systems that would help fight Russian aircraft.
Already the Biden administration has sent Ukraine more than 600 Stinger missiles, 2,600 Javelin anti-armor systems, unmanned aerial system tracking radars; grenade launchers, 200 shotguns, 200 machine guns and nearly 40 million rounds of small arms ammunition, along with helicopters, patrol boats, satellite imagery and body armor, helmets, and other tactical gear, the official said.
This wasn’t the first time he Zelenskyy has appealed directly to Congress. Nearly two weeks ago, he delivered a desperate plea to some 300 lawmakers and staff on a private call that if they could not enforce a no-fly zone, at least send more planes.
Congress has already approved $13.6 billion in military and humanitarian aid for Ukraine, and the newly announced security aid will come from that allotment, which is part of a broader bill that Biden signed into law Tuesday.
Adapted from reporting by the Associated Press
