40% Republicans Members skip Zelensky’s speech in USA Congress
According to the report, some lawmakers were not present due to bad weather and the upcoming Christmas holidays
Only 86 out of the 213 House Republicans were present during Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky’s address to Congress, The Hill newspaper wrote on Thursday.
According to the report, some lawmakers were not present due to bad weather and the upcoming Christmas holidays.
“Critics of Ukraine aid showed little openness to being open to changing their minds because of the speech,” the paper wrote.
On December 21, Zelensky spent several hours in Washington at Biden’s invitation. He met with the US president and the leadership of the US Congress and delivered a speech there. Ahead of Zelensky’s visit, the US announced a new military aid package totaling $1.85 billion. For the first time, it included a battery of the Patriot air defense system (the truck-mounted launcher, radar and control station).
Two US Congress members deliberately refused to applaud Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky as he spoke at the US Congress. They also remained seated looking into their phones after the speech, the report said.
Republican Representatives Matt Gaetz and Lauren Boebert didn’t applaud Zelensky as he entered the hall. Zelensky’s speech at the Congress failed to convince some legislators, that Ukraine had to be provided with financial aid. Boebert demanded an audit on where the first $50 billion in aid “has already gone.”
