2 years ago
Ukrainian Ambassador to the U.S. Oksana Markarova on Sunday said House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Ukraine this weekend was “very symbolic” and a sign of the “very, very strong support that Ukraine has.”
“We are very happy that right after a visit of Secretary Blinken and Secretary Austin, right after the visit of our prime minister here, it was a special delight to see Madam Speaker with the delegation in Kyiv, meeting with our president,” Markarova said on ABC’s “This Week.”
Pelosi on Sunday concluded her secret visit to Ukraine, where she led the trip with a delegation of senior House Democrats and met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and other top officials in Kyiv. Pelosi is now the highest-ranking U.S. official to visit the war-ravaged country since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine began in February.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin visited Ukraine last month and also met with Zelenskyy.
Markarova said on Sunday that Pelosi’s trip is especially symbolic as it comes just days after President Joe Biden asked Congress to approve an additional $33 billion in aid for Ukraine. The bill is expected to win widespread bipartisan support, but it’s unclear when the package could make it to Biden’s desk.
“Here in the United States, we feel and we know that Americans, our brothers and sisters in this fight for freedom for democracy,” Markarova said. “And as we about to review here in the United States the next package of support to Ukraine, which President Biden submitted recently to Congress, I believe it’s very symbolic that Speaker Pelosi visited Ukraine.”
English (US)