The Ukrainian president, Volodímir Zelenski, met this Saturday virtually with 280 members of the US Congress to ask them to send more planes to Ukraine, prohibit the import of Russian oil and exclude Russia from the mechanisms of Visa and Mastercard payment.
This was the first time Zelensky had addressed members of the US Congress since the outbreak of the war. The Ukrainian leader has already intervened by videoconference in recent days before the European Parliament and before the European leaders gathered in an emergency summit.
Zelensky reiterated this Saturday his request for NATO to impose a no-fly zone over Ukraine to prevent Russia from taking over air control, something that Western governments have rejected for fear that it will lead to clashes between Russian and Atlantic Alliance planes.
The Joe Biden government has also rejected that idea. As an alternativethe Ukrainian president offered legislators the option that the US facilitate the sending of more planes to Ukraine so that the Ukrainians themselves will be the ones to pilot them and face the Russians in the sky.
“Close the skies or send us planes”
Specifically, the message from the Ukrainian ruler was “close the skies or give us planes”Republican Senator Ben Sasse said in a statement after the video conference, which lasted an hour.
Specifically, Zelensky wants Washington to facilitate the transfer to Ukraine from Poland and Romania from former Soviet aircraft and that, later, NATO, to compensate, gives those two countries more modern aircraft, Democratic Congressman Brad Sherman detailed on Twitter.
Zelensky’s request immediately achieved the support from several members of Congress, including Democratic Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer.
In a statement, Schumer explained that Zelensky made “a desperate appeal” to the countries of Eastern Europe to send their old Soviet planes to Ukraine and vowed to do “everything he can” to help Ukraine.
Democratic Senator Chris Van Hollen went even further and urged NATO to “immediately” mediate the transfer of those aircraft to Ukraine.
Ban Russian oil imports
Likewise, Zelenski asked Congress to intercede so that the Biden administration ban the import of oil and gas from Russia and stated that such action would be even “more powerful” than the departure of some Russian banks from the Swift bank transfer systemsaid Republican Senator Dan Sullivan.
Banning imports to the US would deprive the Kremlin of an important source of revenue; but it could harm the world economy by causing a rise in already high energy prices, for which the White House has not yet made a final decision.
Unlike Europe, which relies on Russia for oil and gas, the United States can produce those types of energy through hydraulic fracturing and other forms of extraction, importing only 7.9% of its oil from Russia. you consume, according to the Energy Information Administration (EIA).
Congressmen from both parties again positioned themselves this Saturday in favor of this option and promised to act quickly to increase the pressure on Russia.
“Now we are all one big army. The Ukrainian people today embodies unity for democracy throughout the world,” Democratic legislator Andy Levin even manifested on Twitter.
Visa, Mastercard and more humanitarian aid
On the other hand, Zelensky called for Russia to be excluded from US mechanisms of Visa and Mastercard payment, detailed several legislators, such as Republican Senator Lindsey Graham.
He also asked lawmakers more military and humanitarian assistance, as well as help so that Russian President Vladimir Putin is prosecuted as “a war criminal,” Democratic Senator Tim Kaine detailed on Twitter.
Zelensky spoke to US lawmakers sitting in a desk in a well-lit room on which there was a Ukrainian flag, a scenario that represents a change with the interviews he has recently given and in which he appears in what appears to be a dark bunker.
Next week, the United States Congress will try to pass an aid package valued at 10,000 million and that will serve to reinforce the security of the countries on the eastern flank of NATO, in addition to giving military and humanitarian aid to Ukraine.