Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky bans oil from Russia on March 5, helping to secure Ukrainian fighters and imposing additional sanctions on Russian authorities to strengthen support for his country. Prompted US legislators.
Zelensky held a virtual meeting with a bicameral bicameral group, which is said to have counted more than 280 members of parliament.
Senator Dan Sullivan, a Republican, colonel of the US Marine Corps Reserve, told members on social media that banning Russia’s oil and gas imports is “more powerful than SWIFT.”
SWIFT is a banking system in which European Union countries have agreed to exclude Russian banks.
According to Cole members, Zelensky also has anti-tank weapons and other anti-tank weapons to move fighters from nearby countries to Ukraine so that Ukrainian pilots can use them to fight Russian fighters in the air. Asked for military aid and assistance.
“His main request was to allow Poland and Romania to move Soviet-era jets to Ukraine, and to compensate them by giving these two NATO allies more sophisticated planes.” Rep. Brad Sherman (D-Calif.) Writes. On social media.
The plan was popular because it was an adjustment by the United States and other NATO member states repeatedly calling on Ukraine to impose a no-fly zone, and was considered a less confrontational move. Authorities warned that a banned area would mean that U.S. planes would engage directly with Russian planes, and Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Saturday that all external countries imposing such areas would be in conflict by Russia. He said he would be considered a participant.
“There is widespread agreement that providing direct air force support puts us in war with Russia, but we can provide aircraft as Zelensky requested,” said a former U.S. Air Force officer. Chrissy Houlahan (Democratic Party) wrote on Twitter.
Zelensky is said to have outlined how many Ukrainian aircraft were destroyed before requesting an aircraft.
“We need an airplane,” military veteran Brian Mast, a Republican, told Zelensky. The President of Ukraine also said, “We are all one big army now”, “The people of Ukraine are now the embodiment of unity for democracy of the whole world”, “Help us , And don’t forgive us. “To eradicate brave and strong people who are many times smaller than Russia. “
NATO “should immediately facilitate the transfer of fighters from Poland, Romania and Slovakia to Ukraine,” Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) Said after the meeting.
The meeting may spur action from Congress. Some members are considering swiftly approving $ 10 billion in additional aid to Ukraine, passing a bill blocking Russia’s oil purchases, and turning off Russian MasterCard and Visa payment services. Said that.
Senator Lindsey Graham (RS.C.) said the latter move would be distressing to the Russian people, but doing so is necessary for an effective response.
“Putin is our enemy, but the Russian people need to feel this for our response to be effective,” he said in a video message.
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Zachary Stieber covers US and world news. He is based in Maryland.