Zelenskyy Visits The US And Addresses Congress
Putin claims Russia is not at fault for the invasion, blaming third party countries for brainwashing Ukraine
Churchill addressed Congress 81 years ago on 26 December 1941, shortly after the US had declared they were at war after Pearl Harbor on 7 December 1941. Zelenskyy visited the US to address Congress on 21 December 2022, and met with Biden to discuss bilateral issues.
This is the first known trip Zelenskyy has made outside of Ukraine since the invasion on 24 February, and he arrived on a US Air Force jet from Rzeszow, Poland, and on his return, he met with the Polish President (Duda), before returning to Ukraine.
Zelenskyy received a standing ovation, yet there are Republicans who are keen to respect funding to Ukraine when they take control of the House of Representatives next year. The visit aims to support the proposed plans for further American aid when the change of power takes place next month (January 2023). There is a proposed plan of $45 billion that Zelenskyy has expressed as necessary to help defend Ukraine, ‘help us to defend our values, values and independence.
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While many compare the speech to Churchill, Churchill has been a guest at the White House for a number of weeks already, and had visited to try and gain further support from the Americans, not just for Britain but for the other allies including Russia (although many were still uncertain about trusting Russia). Zelenskyy’s invitation and visit solidifies the support that the US is offering in the eyes of the world. That means that countries sitting on the fence about who to support can see that the US, the most powerful country military wise and economy wise is supporting Ukraine, and if they wish to become enemies with the US, then supporting Russia is one way to do it.
Day 301 (21 December)
Zelenskyy’s visit to the US was announced late on Tuesday 20 December. The invitation to visit was accepted on 16 December, and confirmed on Sunday 18 December. Zelenskyy met Biden at 2pm at the White House, and an address to Congress was made at 7:30 pm.
Zelenskyy, delivered the flag signed by the soldiers of Bakhmut to Congress as promised. Pelosi presented Zelenskyy with a framed flag of the USA. His speech thanked the US for their support and requested the continuation of weapons and support. The visit is to strengthen ties as well as to discuss bilateral defence concerns, and like Churchill’s visit is symbolic on the world stage.
On his return to Ukraine, Zelenskyy met with President Andrzej Duda for 2 hours at the airport in Jasionka.
The US and other allies have criticised Iran for supplying weapons to Russia. Before long, Iran will be sanctioned as will Belarus if the Belarusian troops cross the border and fight with the Russians against Ukraine.
Russia is to establish two naval bases in occupied areas of Ukraine, Mariupol and Berdyansk.
Putin has tried to respond to the news that Zelesnkyy’s visit to the US, claiming the the special military operation was not Russia’s fault, and blames ‘third country policies’ by way of meaning NATO countries especially the US. He claimed the West brainwashed Ukraine, and that Russia tried to help save Ukraine in a televised speech.
There's nothing to accuse us of. We've always seen Ukrainians as brotherly people and I still think so. What's happening now is a tragedy, but it's not our fault. (Putin)
The US is to provide $1.8 billion of military aid to Ukraine, which will include a Patriot Defence System, trucks training and weapons, artillery and mortar shells HIMARS, JDAMs, and AGM-88 HARM missiles.
Patriot missile system will enable Ukraine to defend the skies, allowing them to have a higher degree of defence where the range of targets can be up to 100 miles. The missile launcher can hold up to 16 missiles which can be fired in less than nine seconds Henry doors can detect and locate any incoming missiles. The Russians have brushed this off as an old system, while other Russian comments have said that they consider this an act of provocation.
The Russian ambassador in the US, Anatoly Antonov claimed that the Patriot missile system would be seen as a provocative action and would lead to escalation and consequences.
Kyiv was attacked with Russian missiles again, and critical infrastructure was targeted and damaged.
Day 302 (22 December)
Zelenskyy has stated that Ukraine would never surrender, but needed more weapons to defend itself.
Your money is not charity, it's an investment in the global security and democracy that we handle in the most responsible way. (Zelenskyy)
The EU is to send 900 generators to Ukraine to assist with the energy crisis due to the Russian missiles destroying critical infrastructure.
The New York Times has spent significant time recovering evidence of the Bucha massacre and to identify the soldiers and the regiments responsible with a view to them being tried for war crimes. The investigators used military files, videos, CCTV, and phone logs to identify the perpetrators.
The Wagner mercenary group has allegedly taken delivery of an arm shipment from North Korea, there had already been reports that North Korea were going to supply Russia with arms. By supplying them directly to the private mercenary group, it seems to be a way to bypass the technicalities of exporting arms directly to Russia, even though the Wagner group has a new headquarters in Saint Petersburg
The Wagner group claims to have recruited 20,000 fighters (compared to 1,000 at the start of the war) which include former convicts. However many of the convicts turned soldiers are not trained and are being used as canon fodder. Therefore, their presence has a limited effect.
Dmitry Rogozin, a former director-general of Russia's state space agency, and a former Deputy Prime Minister was wounded in Donetsk, whilst celebrating his birthday. Viktor Khotsenko (head of the self-proclaimed Donetsk’s People’s Republic was also injured as apparently details of where the party was to be held was leaked/ Rogozin is known for being anti-Western and who has been supporting the war pianist Ukraine with a volunteer unit called Tsar’s wolves who supports the Russian proxies in Ukraine.
Russia has announced further large-scale military drills in conjunction with Belarus in 2023. The announcement also stated that other partner countries would be involved but they have not said which countries would participate in the drills.
Russia has also warned Greece against supplying Ukraine with S – 300 defence missile systems stating that it would be seen as a provocative act.
Russia has claimed that there have been no calls for peace and that Zelenskyy's visit to the US is evidence that the US is fighting a proxy war with Russia.
The talks in Washington has shown that neither Ukraine nor the United States is seeking peace. They are simply intent on continuing the fighting. (Maria Zakharova)
Good to see U.S. Republicans are keen to respect funding to Ukraine when they take control of Congress in the new year. President Zelensky's visit to Washington brought back memories of P.M. Churchill's visit, as I mentioned in an earlier comment.