BY SARAH FORTINSKY – 02/26/24 9:59 PM ET
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Sunday that House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) told him that he would do “everything” to support Ukraine as lawmakers work to reach a deal on providing military aid to the war-torn country.
In an interview Sunday with CNN’s Kaitlan Collins, Zelensky said the message he has for Johnson is of “trust” and whether they can “trust partners or not.”
“That’s what I have to say,” Zelensky continued. “So when we spoke to each other, he said that he will do everything to support Ukraine, and he’s on our side, and he understands how heroic our people, our soldiers, and civilians and etc. And he said … that his prayers are with us, and he said that he will do it.”
Zelensky, who spoke with Collins on the second anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, said he delivered the same message to the White House as he did with Johnson when he visited the United States.
He said he pleaded with President Biden for a deal, asking him and Johnson to “put the pause” on partisan issues between Democrats and Republicans and help lawmakers reach a deal. Zelensky also acknowledged “the election period” is a “challenging period.”
“Yes, I gave this message, my message. I think that Johnson heard it. And Biden also heard it. So that’s it. What can I do? I can’t push the Speaker. This is his decision, but I think he understands all the challenges, what we have.”
Zelensky’s interview comes more than four months after President Biden requested his most recent aid package including military funding for Ukraine. The Senate recently passed a bipartisan national security funding package, which included $60 billion for Ukraine, but the House, under Johnson’s leadership, has refused to take the package to the floor for a vote.
Asked in the interview if he trusts Johnson’s word, Zelensky told Collins, “I have to trust. I have to trust. But we will see.”
It would be better to hear such welcome words directly from Johnson.
Zel does not say if this was a recent conversation. Was he referring to his last visit? If so, the words have been proven to be worthless.
“Was he referring to his last visit?”
Sounds like it:
> he did with Johnson when he visited the United States.
Johnson sure has a very strange way to support Ukraine. Is Zelensky getting something mixed up, or is there a problem with the translation?
“Speaker Johnson said he’d do ‘everything’ to support Ukraine”
While doing everything in his might to prevent the passing of a support bill. So, what shall we believe, his words or his actions? The answer is clear, but for diplomatic reasons, Zelenskyy can’t say it publicly. 🙁
Whoa, some straight talking by the Polish Foreign Minister:
“Poland FM Says US House Speaker to Blame if Ukraine Fails”
https://www.kyivpost.com/post/28699
Only the facts, ma’am! I do think it’s good that the public gets to know who’s to blame. The Ukrainian government doesn’t want to create tensions and thus won’t be as outspoken, but Poland can tell it as it is. Take that, Johnson!
As we all know, it is very difficult to get any politically difficult legislation passed when the House is very closely divided between the two parties regardless of the party in the majority. The narrower the majority, the more power/leverage the “extremists” have within the majority party (regardless of which party is in the majority). Johnson can lose no more than 3 Republican votes to maintain his majority.
When the majority party has a larger majority than it does currently, the Speaker has much greater flexibility to maneuver and get “controversial” legislation that he is personally in favor of passed. This might be the situation with Speaker Johnson.
Regardless, Ukraine needs ongoing US support yesterday so personally I wish that Johnson would demonstrate more personal courage, get the support passed, and let the chips fall as they may.