Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy asked U.S. lawmakers in a video call to back a no-fly zone and expanded military aid to counter Russia’s invasion, including warplanes based in eastern European NATO countries.
With almost 300 members of the Senate and House on Saturday’s call, the Ukrainian leader won statements of support for more weaponry while facing reluctance on his appeal for NATO powers to enforce an exclusion zone for Russia’s air force. NATO and the U.S. say that declaring a no-fly zone would risk a getting drawn into a war with Russia.
Zelenskyy returned to an inconclusive European Union proposal to have Ukrainian pilots use Russian-made fighter jets based in eastern European NATO countries, winning a pledge of support from Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer.
“President Zelenskyy made a desperate plea for Eastern European countries to provide Russian-made planes to Ukraine,” Schumer said in a statement. “These planes are very much needed. And I will do all I can to help the administration to facilitate their transfer.”
Zelenskyy addressed U.S. lawmakers as they consider President Joe Biden’s request for an extra $10 billion in funding to respond to the Russian invasion and while the administration weighs a ban on Russian oil imports.
The Ukrainian leader asked for the U.S. to stop importing Russian oil and gas and urged lawmakers to press companies such as Visa Inc. and Mastercard Inc. to stop all business in Russia. He told his audience that Russia’s goal is to set up a puppet government in Kyiv, according to one lawmaker.
Rep. Tom Malinowski, a New Jersey Democrat, said he would support the aircraft transfer and that it wouldn’t cross Biden’s line of direct U.S. involvement. Transferring surface-to-air missile batteries and anti-tank weaponry to Ukrainian forces would potentially be more important, he said.
“We should be encouraging that and potentially reimbursing” the countries for the transfers, Malinowski said in an interview.
Other members of Congress endorsed the move, including Senator Chris Van Hollen, a Maryland Democrat and member of the Foreign Relations Committee. Senator Ben Sasse, a Nebraska Republican, said the U.S. should send the Ukrainians planes, helicopters and drones.
