Zelenskyy opens U.S. visit with a warning about evil
— Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Tuesday delivered an impassioned speech to world leaders at the U.N. General Assembly, pushing for sustained support for his embattled nation’s fight against Russia as he embarked on a delicate mission to bolster his cause globally and in Washington, Ukraine’s most important partner.
Zelenskyy’s rare visit across the Atlantic came at an urgent moment in his efforts to maintain robust aid for Ukraine’s fight, amid increasing concern among leaders of the Global South and Republicans in Congress who say the war is consuming too many resources and drawing away from other priorities. Over 3½ days of meetings and speeches, the Ukrainian leader is charged with finding ways to solidify support as portions of the world seek to move on.
Even as he embarked on his mission to confront skeptical voices, Zelenskyy received a warm welcome inside the grand U.N. chamber. But in a possible sign of the challenges he faces, he delivered his address to a half-full house, with many delegations declining to appear and listen to what he had to say.
“Mass destruction is gaining momentum,” Zelenskyy said. “The aggressor is weaponizing many other things and those things are used not only against our country, but against all of yours as well, fellow leaders.”
And after a more than a year and a half of war, leaders from some developing nations are increasingly frustrated that the effort to support Ukraine is taking away, they say, from their own struggles to drum up enough money to adapt to a warming world, confront poverty and ensure a more secure life for their citizens.
In Washington, meanwhile, a growing faction of the Republican Party is rebelling against further spending on military aid for Ukraine, following former president Donald Trump’s lead in questioning whether it should be an American priority. Although most Democrats and a significant portion of Republicans remain staunchly behind Kyiv, the blowback among House Republicans may be enough to derail an effort to approve a supplemental package of aid for Kyiv. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., has been vague about whether he intends to meet with Zelenskyy, but implied Tuesday that a meeting would take place during the Ukrainian leader’s visit to Washington.
The continuing economic and military support pledged to Ukraine is estimated to have reached about $73 billion globally.