Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky told members of Congress at the start of his speech that it was too much for him.
The former actor and comedian stood up for his country. Even though he asked for more, he showed his gratitude by showing his appreciation. HeAppealed to shared American and Ukrainian values by cutting through partisan politics with an appeal to shared American and Ukrainian values
The speech ended with Pelosi and Harris hoisting a flag that Zelensky had presented to them. The flag was presented to Zelensky by soldiers in Bakhmut, a small city on the front lines of the battle against Russia.
Observers predicted a swift Russian victory as the Russian invasion of Ukraine was about to start. The Ukrainian resistance was resistant to Western intelligence and materiel. It is not Moscow that is talking about victory.
Zelensky said early in his speech thatUkraine didn't fall. Ukranian is alive and kicking.
Russia's army is larger than Ukraine's, but it is rife with corruption and abuse. The United States knew that a full-scale invasion would follow Russia's annexation of Crimea.
The result of that training is playing out on the battlefield, with the Kremlin seemingly flummoxed by a foe it had thought could be defeated in a few days.
The sight of members of both the Republican and Democratic parties standing up and cheering for the Ukrainian president was striking.
Zelensky seemed to unify Washington with an appeal that may have offered something to conservatives and progressives alike.
He said that Russia and the United States are allies in the fight against the anti-democratic movement in the US.
As a congressional panel prepared to release its final report on the January 6, 2021, riot at the Capitol, the message was sure to hit home with Democrats. The riot was instigated by Donald Trump's supporters who were seen by his opponents as having fostered a close relationship with Putin.
Zelensky's image of a nation about to celebrate Christmas amidst the ruins of war was attractive to conservatives. Christmas will be celebrated. The light of our faith in ourselves will not be taken away even if there is no electricity, said the first Jewish president of Ukraine.
The Battle of Saratoga was a key American victory in the Revolutionary War, and Franklin Roosevelt was a democrat.
Two legislators who were hostile to Zelensky's message were Rep. Matt Gaetz, R- Fla., and Rep. Lauren Boebert, R- Colo. Both of them could be seen sitting and looking at their phones as other members of Congress cheered.
Zelensky made a plea for more weapons at the White House.
We have guns. I agree. I would like to thank you. We have it, that's what we have. Is it sufficient? He said at one point that he wasn't really. Ukrainians don't think it's possible to win the war without more powerful American weapons.
Zelensky said that Ukrainian soldiers could operate American tanks and planes themselves, a line that could not have thrilled Pentagon officials who fear that Putin could come to equate American assistance with American involvement.
Zelensky cast the billions it has devoted to military and humanitarian support of Ukraine as a savvy investment in democratic governance that was bound to pay off with enhanced American stature and international stability.
Money isn't charity. He said it was an investment in global security and democracy.
The reference to responsibility could be seen as a nod to the fact that some conservatives want to audit American aid, which would take a long time.
Zelensky argued that the U.S. was only enhancing its own security since victory by Russia would not only embolden Putin but also give license to authoritarian regimes in Beijing, Tehran and elsewhere.
The struggle will determine what world our children and grandchildren will live in.
Zelensky is aware that the billions the U.S. has devoted to the Ukrainian war effort could have been better spent on domestic issues. Critics on both the hard right and the hard left have made that point only to be rejected by party leaders.
As the war nears its one-year anniversary, calls have grown louder.
Zelensky said that he hoped his words of respect and gratitude would make a difference in Americans' hearts.
Congress will almost certainly debate a new package of military aid as a result of his Washington tour.
If the response to Zelensky was any indication, it was a trip that would pay off for Ukraine many times over.
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