Ukraine’s Ambassador urges lawmakers to help country

WASHINGTON (Gray DC) -Legislation to provide more support to Ukraine faces an uncertain future in the House of Representatives.

Ukraine’s Ambassador to the U.S. Oksana Markarova is joining with President Joe Biden and Republican Senate leaders in urging the House to pass a bill that includes $60 billion in military support for Ukraine. It passed the Senate 70-29 - with strong bipartisan support. In the House, Speaker Mike Johnson is saying that bill is dead on arrival.

In an interview, Ambassador Markarova was asked what her message to Capitol Hill is, “What would be your message to Speaker Johnson about allowing all of the members right now to vote on this legislation which has already passed the Senate?”

She told White House correspondent Jon Decker, “well, Speaker Johnson has been very clear about the fact that we cannot allow Putin to win. And in his recent statement, he also repeated again that Ukraine needs support. I just hope that this weeks will be enough for people in the in the in the House to resolve whatever discussions and difficulties are there and to be able to support this continuation of support. I mean, we really needed it yesterday.”

Ambassador Markarova spoke to Gray Television just days after Ukraine’s withdrawal from the key town of Avdiivka in Eastern Ukraine and reports that Ukraine’s military is running low on ammunition.

“Jon, it’s a pivotal time. It’s a pivotal time. The fate of the world in which we all will live is decided on the battlefield in Ukraine today, literally. And they’re raising the flag not just over Ukrainian towns and cities. They are raising the flag over the ruins of the towns that they ruined completely.”

Markarova is a trusted advisor to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. She’s also Ukraine’s strongest voice in Washington. She spent two years completing her Master’s at Indiana University and says she’s thankful for all of the economic and military support the U.S. has provided to her country since Russia invaded Ukraine two years ago.

“I’m very glad that we have the support, but I’m not surprised they leave to. Best years of my life in Bloomington, Indiana, where I was getting my degree. I know how good people of this country are. I know they have it in them. I know they would be different. They would defend their homes like we’re defending ours. So I’m glad we have it.”

Markarova says talk of peace or a ceasefire is not an option right now.

“Well, let’s talk about the need for victory. Victory we need to win. And Putin’s Russia has to be defeated because, look, the negotiations and ceasefire and truce only is needed when both sides are originating the conflict. But this is a clear war of choice by Mr. Putin. He can end this tomorrow if he decides to stop the war and leave from our country. That’s the end of the war. So it’s totally up to him. It’s his responsibility to stop this war.”

House Members are back in their home districts until late February. When they return, House Speaker Johnson must decide whether to allow a vote on a bill that could decide the future of Ukraine and the future of Eastern Europe. The federal government also begins to run out of spending authority March 1.

Copyright 2024 Gray DC. All rights reserved.