Pelosi concludes secret visit to Ukraine

The group said in a statement that they traveled to Kyiv to send a message to the world.

Russian forces continue to attack civilian areas across Ukraine, and the short trip carried immense security risks. Pelosi is the highest-ranking official to visit the nation that has been devastated.

Pelosi told Zelenskyy that she would be there for him until the fight was over.

Her travel follows a visit by Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, who entered the country via train and met with Zelenskyy in a windowless underground Bunker in Kyiv on April 24.

The Pelosi-led trip was the first official congressional delegation since the invasion began. While other groups of lawmakers plan to travel to nations bordering the conflict like Poland during the upcoming House recess, none planned to travel directly into the active war zone.

Western heads of state and government, including the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, have traveled to Ukraine, but President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris have not.

Other U.S. lawmakers have made unofficial visits. The cities in the outskirts of Kyiv are now sites of war crimes investigations.

Pelosi's visit comes just days after Biden asked Congress to approve an additional $33 billion in emergency funding for Ukraine, including $20 billion for military aid, and one that underscores the long-term nature of the U.S. commitment. Congressional leaders have promised to act quickly, but the exact legislative path remains unclear.

The proposed aid package is historic, Pelosi said at a press conference Friday.