Zelensky speech

President Volodymyr Zelensky's impassioned pleas Wednesday rekindled congressional talk of supporting a no-fly zone over Ukraine.

- "We will continue to give them more help," she said. They can help anticipate severe thunderstorms, for example. - "I just think it's not all-or-nothing," Wicker said. - "We can ground airplanes without ever firing a shot. "We want to make sure that they have Javelins and Stingers and the other weapons to fight back." - Sen. Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii) highlighted a slew of other actions the U.S. could take — supplying planes and more weaponry, closing all ports to Russian imports and sanctioning all leaders of Russia in addition to oligarchs. - Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), a veteran who's feverishly pushed Congress and the Biden administration to send fighter jets and military aid, spelled out why a no-fly zone could not be implemented. - He also played a graphic video showing the destruction of his country, including the targeting of children. - Fitzpatrick specified in a later interview "we have to jam MAV systems and jam radar, you can ground aircraft without kinetic strikes," adding, "There's more to the story than just 'no-fly zone means WWIII.'" - He started pitching the idea to his colleagues as they streamed out of the auditorium. - Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.), a member of the House Foreign Affairs and Intelligence committees, made the case for a limited humanitarian no-fly zone over a part of the country. Now I'm sure one of the factors is that they don't want to front that technology ... but the technology does exist, and we can do it."

President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine addressed a joint meeting of the House and Senate to press his case for more aid to Ukraine amid devastating attacks ...

Today it takes to be the leader of the world, being the leader of the world means to be the leader of peace. He framed the conflict as a historic struggle for “justice,” hinting at an assertion he has made more directly in recent days — that if he is successful in vanquishing Ukraine, President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia will push further into Europe next, turning to the Baltics. And in the end, to sum it up, today — today it’s not enough to be the leader of the nation. That’s why today the American people are helping not just Ukraine, but Europe and the world to give the planet the life to keep justice in history. I ask you to watch one video — video of what the Russian troops did in our country, in our land. I am grateful to President Biden for his personal involvement, for his sincere commitment to the defense of Ukraine and democracy all over the world. We — peace is more important than income and we have to defend this principle in the whole world. In his speech, Mr. Zelensky essentially sided with members of Congress who have called for a more robust American effort, trying to prod Mr. Biden to step up his response. It is a strategy that he has turned to often in recent weeks as he works to rally support for his cause amid the Russian onslaught. The Biden administration earlier this month sent a $350 million package of arms and equipment to Ukraine, and on Wednesday, it announced an additional $800 million tranche. I have the honor to greet you on behalf of the Ukrainian people, brave and freedom-loving people who, for eight years, have been resisting the Russian aggression, those who give their best sons and daughters to stop this full-scale Russian invasion. We in Ukraine want the same for our people, all that is normal part of your own life.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky made an emotional appeal to a joint session of Congress Wednesday morning.

We’re going to transfer F16s to Poland and we’re going to make sure the MiGs get to you,” she said. About a week ago, the U.S. had seemed ready to proceed with a deal that would have resulted in the U.S. orchestration of Polish-owned MiG-29 fighter jets to Ukraine, by having the U.S. replenish the Polish Air Force’s loss of fighter jets with American-owned F-16 ones. Zelensky suggested American lawmakers shouldn’t have to think too hard about what it might feel like to be under siege and require more security. “Whatever it is—surface to air missiles—let’s make sure that we are doing everything possible to defeat the Russians.” Many lawmakers from both sides of the aisle became emotional during and after Zelensky’s remarks. Members of Congress, however, were torn on how to respond after the speech, weighing tricky politics—some Republicans who supported former GOP President Donald Trump’s soft stance on Vladimir Putin now are among those asking for some of the most aggressive response tactics against the Russian President—and even more perilous defense risks: designating Ukraine as a no-fly zone could prompt Russia to make retaliatory moves against the U.S, several lawmakers said. He preempted their opposition to such a move by offering an alternative: the delivery of as many S-300 missiles—which can shoot down aircrafts—as possible. That deal fell through, however, when Poland requested that the U.S. make arrangements with Ukraine to route the MiG jets through a U.S. military base in Germany, rather than routing them directly to Ukraine from Poland. “That’s too dangerous,” Congressman Gregory Meeks, a New York Democrat, told reporters, after explaining how the deal fell apart. Rep. Tom Malinowski, a New Jersey Democrat, applauded Zelensky’s negotiating tactic of asking for something lawmakers wouldn’t feel comfortable with, and then immediately suggesting a less zealous alternative. Lawmakers were broadly supportive of orchestrating the delivery of more military weapons and aircraft to Ukraine after Zelensky’s remarks. But I think every one of us are deeply concerned about this spiraling into all-out war,” Congressman Earl Blumenauer, an Oregon Democrat, told reporters after Zelensky spoke. Our country experiences the same every day, right now, in this moment, every night, for three weeks now.”

Zelensky used words and pictures to full advantage in a moving and powerful historic speech to a joint session of Congress.

- When appropriate, include a call for action in your updates. Being the leader of the world means to be the leader of peace.” He said that the U.S. will provide Ukraine with a $800 million assistance package. - When speaking, do not deliver your remarks in a monotone. I have a need to protect our skies.” “Ukraine is grateful to the United States for its overwhelming support,” he said.

There has never been a speech to Congress by a foreign leader quite like the one Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky delivered on Wednesday.

The Ukrainian leader has the support of the United States and other allies. The most striking was the sharing of a video that offered graphic evidence of the destruction that has rained down on his country and his people. The weapons: Ukraine is making use of weapons such as Javelin antitank missiles and Switchblade “kamikaze” drones, provided by the United States and other allies. “If Putin is doubling down, the U.S. and NATO have to double down.” He also called on the West to implement more sanctions on Russia “every week until the Russian military machine stops.” Being the leader of the world means to be the leader of peace.” “Russia has turned the Ukrainian sky into a source of death for thousands of people,” he said. The NATO-member nations also have sent, and continue to send, billions of dollars in weaponry to the Ukrainian military. Through months of diplomacy, Biden and his advisers built support among allies for policies that in response to the invasion imposed punishing sanctions on Russia, signaling to Russian President Vladimir Putin the determination to isolate his country and inflict economic pain. More important, his goal is to support Ukraine militarily as much as possible without triggering another world war, one that could include the use of nuclear weapons, something the president has said explicitly, as he has ruled out any direct involvement by U.S. forces. He and his people may appreciate the support they have gotten, but they still feel alone in the battle. What Zelensky asked for was not new — the establishment of a no-fly zone over his country to stop Russian attacks from the skies.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky delivered a powerful, passionate speech to members of Congress on Wednesday, asking the U.S. to do more to respond to ...

The Ukrainian president addressed Biden directly, saying: "I wish you to be the leader of the world. Zelensky also renewed his calls for a no-fly zone over Ukraine, mirroring the immortal words of civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. "I have a dream," he declared. It is not yet specified what kind of military equipment will be included in this additional security assistance.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was not the first foreign leader to address a full session of the United States Congress, nor was he the first one to ...

It was interesting that Zelensky never mentioned NATO in his remarks, given the role that the organization has played in the conflict. That was, after all, the point of Zelensky giving the speech. (Biden has concerns that if the US shot down a Russian plane, it would spark World War III.) No leader has ever been able to bring that type of emotional connection with videos directly to a full session of Congress like that. His in-person audience in Washington, D.C., ate it up with standing ovations and a sentiment that the world’s most powerful capital was fully behind Ukraine. Now enabled by technology, these types of speeches could become even more frequent to the point where they might even be routine as the next crisis arrives.