This was surprising.
On Sunday (May 1), it was revealed that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, alongside a delegation of senior lawmakers, had visited Kyiv in the first congressional delegation since Russia invaded the country.
Pelosi made the visit on Saturday (April 30) alongside Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff, Rules Committee Chairman Jim McGovern, and Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Gregory Meeks to discuss with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy the United States’ efforts to support Ukraine’s defense.
In a press statement announcing the trip, Pelosi said, “Our delegation traveled to Kyiv to send an unmistakable and resounding message to the entire world: America stands firmly with Ukraine.”
The California Democrat continued, stating that Zelenskyy had “conveyed the clear need for continued security, economic and humanitarian assistance from the United States to address the devastating human toll taken on the Ukrainian people by Putin’s diabolic invasion.”
These statements were echoed on Zelenskyy’s Twitter account, where he announced the meeting and thanked the U.S.
“Meeting with the Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives in Kyiv. The United States is a leader in Ukraine’s strong support in the fight against Russian aggression. Thank you for helping to protect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of our state,” Zelenskyy’s translated statements read.
Pelosi also revealed that the delegation “proudly delivered the message that additional American support is on the way, as we work to transform President Biden’s strong funding request into a legislative package.”
Her remarks follow a request Biden made to Congress, where he asked for an additional $33 billion for military and economic aid for Ukraine.
Pelosi and the delegation traveled to Poland after meeting with Zelenskyy.
