WASHINGTON — Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky spoke to more than 300 members of Congress on Saturday, pleading with them to ban Russian oil imports and send more jets to his country, lawmakers said during the appeal.
the meeting, performed via Zoomwas the first time Mr. Zelensky addressed both houses of Congress since the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
During the conversation, Mr. Zelensky became defiant, according to lawmakers during the conversation. He told lawmakers it might be the last time they see him alive, echoing comments he made during a phone call with European Union leaders last month.
Mr Zelensky reiterated a list of his long-sought demands, including the imposition of a no-fly zone over Ukraine. Western governments have dismissed the idea as nearly impossible, citing the risk of direct conflict between NATO and Russian forces.
“He stands strong, but begged for more help,” Connecticut Democrat Representative Jim Himes said of Mr. Zelensky. “Airplanes, oil embargo, continued military aid.”
Mr. Zelensky told lawmakers a ban on Russian oil would be “even more powerful” than removing some Russian banks from the SWIFT financial messaging system, according to Alaska Republican Senator Dan Sullivan. Over the past week, Republicans and Democrats increased pressure on the White House to ban imports of Russian energy products, although experts have said such a move would be largely symbolic.
Lawmakers have also urged the government to ship more military equipment to arm the Ukrainians, even after Mr Biden authorized the shipment of a $350 million package of weapons to the country last weekend, a package that is the largest authorized transfer of weapons from US military warehouses to another country.
On Saturday, Mr Zelensky stressed the need for additional aircraft and drones in the absence of a NATO-led no-fly zone, lawmakers said during the call. His plea came after Poland, Bulgaria and Slovakia said they would not send fighter jets to Ukraine.
“Zelensky’s message is simple: ‘Close the skies or give us planes,'” Nebraska Republican Senator Ben Sasse said in a statement after the meeting. “Let’s be clear about our options: A no-fly zone means sending American pilots into battle against Russian jets and air defense — in a nuclear war that can quickly spiral out of control.”
Mr Sasse added that the United States should “definitely send Ukrainian planes, helicopters and UAVs,” or unmanned aerial vehicles.
In a post-call interview, New Jersey Democrat Tom Malinowski suggested Congress quickly approve funding to repay Eastern European allies if they provide Ukraine with planes — or, more feasible, he said, surface-to-air missiles.
“We should signal to Poles and Romanians and others that this is something we would like to help them,” Malinowski said.
New York Democrat and Majority Leader Senator Chuck Schumer promised Mr. Zelensky during the appeal that he and Kentucky Republican Minority Leader Senator Mitch McConnell “were working very hard in a bipartisan manner” to swiftly approved the $10 billion aid package to Ukraine requested by the Biden administration last week.
“President Zelensky made a desperate plea to Eastern European countries to supply Russian-made aircraft to Ukraine,” Schumer said in a statement. “These planes are desperately needed. And I will do everything I can to help the administration facilitate their transfer.”
During the call, Mr. Zelensky also asked Western governments to impose additional sanctions on Russia, and aside, he said he believed Russia would not have invaded Ukraine if the sanctions were recently introduced by the Biden and European governments. imposed were established in the fall, according to two people familiar with the comments.