Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has received a delegation of US lawmakers led by Mitch McConnell, leader of the Republican minority in the US Senate, in Kyiv, according to a statement released by the Ukrainian presidency on Saturday.
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“I look forward to US support for further sanctions. In addition, we believe that Russia should be officially recognized as a state sponsor of terrorism,” Volodymyr Zelenskyy said during their meeting, quoted in the press release.
He also thanked “the United States for its leadership in supporting Ukraine,” saying that it not only protects his country “but also protects democratic values and freedoms, the right of nations to freely choose their future.”
In his daily video address in the evening, Volodymyr Zelensky said that “this visit once again demonstrates strong bipartisan support for our state, the strength of relations between the American and Ukrainian people,” and specified that he discussed “financial and military matters.” discussed ” to Ukraine and “sanctions against Russia”.
A video posted to Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s Instagram account today showed the small group of US lawmakers walking through the grounds of the Presidential Palace in Kyiv before being greeted on the steps by the President of Ukraine.
In addition to Mitch McConnell, the American delegation included several experienced Republican senators. The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi, paid a surprise visit to Kyiv at the end of April, which became known the next day.
This visit comes as the US Congress on Tuesday took a first step towards releasing a staggering nearly $40 billion to Ukraine that still needs to be voted on by the Senate before President Joe Biden signs it into law.