Zelenskyy’s visit was received coldly and "without enthusiasm" in US, events with his participation had low attendance - NYT
As Russia's war against Ukraine drags on, the Ukrainian president's "star power" in Washington is fading, with potentially dire consequences for future US military aid to Kyiv.
This is reported by the NYT, Censor.NET informs .
"When Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy visited the United States in December 2022, he was greeted by large crowds, thunderous applause, and a nearly $50 billion aid package. But as the war drags on, Ukraine's president is getting a much quieter reception in Washington and facing angry questions from some Republicans," the newspaper writes.
According to journalists, Zelenskyy is considered "Ukraine's most persuasive advocate, gifted with the ability to break through congressional partisanship with calls for faster arms shipments and other aid to Kyiv".
The newspaper emphasises that this was demonstrated by Zelenskyy's meeting in the US on Thursday, 26 September, when the reception was much more "cold and subdued".
Several dozen lawmakers met with Zelenskyy behind closed doors, while House Speaker Mike Johnson ignored the Ukrainian president.
Further support for Ukraine is in question
The NYT reminds us that Ukraine is currently receiving military aid from the US as part of a nearly $61 billion package that Congress approved in the spring.
On 26 September, US President Joe Biden announced that America would send Ukraine nearly $8 billion worth of weapons, including glide bombs, air defence missiles and an additional Patriot battery.
"But when this military aid runs out, Ukraine's fate will again largely depend on the willingness of Congress to continue to replenish Zelenskyy's war chest," the journalists emphasise.
"Zelenskyy's star power on Capitol Hill is fading"
The NYT reminded that on Thursday, Zelenskyy held two meetings at the Capitol: first, he answered questions from a bipartisan group of about 20 senators, including New York Democrat and Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Kentucky Republican and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, and then he met with a bipartisan group of about a dozen House members, including Hakeem Jeffries.
The newspaper writes that Zelenskyy, who delivered a speech at the UN General Assembly on 25 September, was unlucky to arrive on Capitol Hill after both houses of Congress adjourned for the election campaign. This resulted in "low attendance" at events with the Ukrainian president.
"Congressional leaders made no effort to draw attention to his visit, with neither Schumer nor McConnell addressing the media in person or by email, as they have done on previous Zelenskyy's visits," the NYT writes.
The publication notes that almost every lawmaker who attended the meetings had previously voted in support of military assistance to Ukraine.
"Some senators still admire Zelenskyy and the will of the Ukrainian people to fight and defend their country, but in other circles, the Ukrainian president's visit was met with anger because some Republicans said he appeared to show favour with Democrats and the Biden administration during the election season," the NYT concluded.
