Zelensky tells U.S Congress 'Your aid is not charity'

Volodymyr Zelenskyy

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on Wednesday told the U.S. Congress that aid to Ukraine was an investment in democracy and “not charity”.

This comes as Republicans – some of whom have expressed growing skepticism about sending so much aid to Ukraine – prepare to take control of the United States House of Representatives from Democrats on January 3.

Some hardline Republicans have even called for an end to aid and an audit to determine how funds were spent.

Speaking at a joint session of the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives, Zelensky said; “Your money is not charity. It is an investment in the global security and democracy that we handle in the most responsible way.”

“The world is too interconnected to allow any country to stand aside and feel safe”, Zelenskiy added as he appealed for bipartisan support.

Earlier, Zelensky met President Joe Biden on his first foreign wartime visit, who called for support to keep flowing in 2023.

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The US also announced another $1.85 billion in military aid for Ukraine, including a Patriot air defense system to help it defend against Russian missile barrages.

According to Zelenskiy, the Patriot system was an important step toward developing an air shield.

“This is the only way that we can deprive the terrorist state of its main instrument of terror – the possibility to hit our cities, our energy,” Zelenskiy told a White House news conference, standing next to Biden.

“We would like to get more Patriots … we are in a war,” Zelenskiy told reporters at the White House.

In recent weeks, Russia has targeted Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, leaving millions without power or running water in the dead of winter.

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