Three members of the US House Intelligence Committee met with Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv on Friday.
It is the first visit by a congressional delegation to the city in more than a month, and the first since Russia began a campaign of air strikes targeting civilian infrastructure in the Ukrainian capital and other major cities.
Standing close to the site of a recent drone attack on a power plant in Kyiv, Rep. Jim Himes, the head of the delegation, told CNN’s Nic Robertson the visit was about showing solidarity with Ukraine, which he said was “fighting for the democracy that so much of the world cares about.”
“We all felt it was really important that we be here on a bipartisan basis to make an unmistakable statement that the people of the United States and the government of the United States stands with the people and with the government of Ukraine,” said Himes, a Democrat.
GOP Rep. Mike Turner said “there is strong bipartisan support for Ukraine, and it will continue,” when asked by CNN whether US aid to Ukraine could change if Republicans gain control of the House in November’s midterm elections.
Remember: That issue became a campaign trail talking point this week after House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy said if the GOP wins the chamber, it may not be as forthcoming with aid to the embattled nation.
US President Joe Biden seized on those comments and similar remarks from some Republicans, framing the position as undermining US leadership in an increasingly volatile world.
Creating an “air shield”: Ukraine’s military considers bolstering its air defense capabilities a key concern. Zelensky appealed to the visiting delegation for help with creating what he described as an “air shield” over the country, according to a statement released by his office.
Turner told CNN the US supply of weapons and intelligence to Ukraine would change as the nature of the threat changes.
“We’re looking at both air defense and also ways in which we can defeat these individual drones. But we’re going to have to accomplish that together,” he said. “Our goals are aligned.”
