Members of Congress give Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky a standing ovation before he speaks in a virtual address to Congress in the U.S. Capitol Visitors Center Congressional Auditorium in Washington, Wednesday, March 16, 2022. (Sarahbeth Maney/The New York Times via AP, Pool)
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, once again, plead to Congress for a humanitarian no-fly zone. He appeared virtually to members in the Visitor Center Auditorium on Capitol Hill Wednesday, asking Congress for increased sanctions and restrictions on all Russian politicians.
In his no-fly zone request, Zelensky referenced Pearl Harbor and 9/11, pointing out that innocent people experienced aerial attacks and that is what Ukrainians are experiencing every day.
President Zelensky asks for a no fly zone: "Remember Pearl Harbor…remember September 11th…our country experiences the same every day. Right now, at this moment, every night…Russia has turned the Ukrainian sky into a source of death…" pic.twitter.com/9CsTNHdqnV
— CSPAN (@cspan) March 16, 2022
U.S. President Joe Biden is reportedly planning to unveil a massive aid package for Ukraine. According to the Wall Street Journal, Biden’s plan costs more than $1 billion and aims to send military equipment to the Ukrainian resistance. He money will reportedly come from the omnibus package as lawmakers from both sides of the aisle have been pressing Biden to do more. The U.S. President is expected to make his announcement soon.
In the meantime, State Department spokesperson Ned Price said the U.S. still hopes to solve things with Russia diplomatically. During a press briefing Tuesday, Price said the people of Russia and Russian-backed Belarus do not agree with their governments’ war. He called on them to come to the table to settle their dispute with Ukraine.
Price also took aim at Russia’s crackdown on free speech while pointing to the 15,000 protesters and journalists that have been detained since the invasion of Ukraine started.
“Russian journalists are being prosecuted for doing the vital work you all do here, which is to report, interview and share the truth about what is happening,” explained the State Department spokesperson. “The people of Russia have the right to know about the thousands and thousands of casualties they’re taking in Ukraine as well as the civilian casualties and widespread destruction of civilian infrastructure.”
Price also spoke out on the death of a Fox News video journalist in Ukraine, saying he’s heartbroken regarding the loss of life.
Source: One America News Network
