Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said Friday he's leading a Democratic senate delegation to Ukraine to meet with President Volodymyr Zelensky. He urged House Republicans to stop blocking Ukraine aid and pass the bipartisan senate bill that was supported by 22 senate Republicans. Photo courtesy
Sen. Chuck Schumer/X
Feb. 23 (UPI) -- Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer arrived in Ukraine Friday with a delegation of lawmakers, as House Republicans block aid to Kyiv as it battles the ongoing Russian invasion.
The delegation including Sens. Reed, D-R.I.; Michael Bennet, D-Colo.; Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn.; and Maggie Hassan, D. N.H., will meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in an effort to "show the Ukrainian people that America stands with them" and "to learn about the arms Ukraine vitally needs, and to protect our democracy and national security," Schumer, D-N.Y. said in a post on X.
He added that they would "show our NATO and European allies we stand with them.
In a statement, ahead of the visit, Schumer warned there the United States "severe political, diplomatic, economic and military consequences" if it fails to follow through on promises to its allies.
The visit comes after the Senate earlier this month passed a bill $60 billion to support Ukraine's two-year fight to defend itself against Russia's unprovoked attack as well as billions of dollars to beef up U.S. weapons stockpiles at defense-industry locations in Pennsylvania, Ohio and Texas that produce artillery shells.
It passed the chamber 70-29 as 22 Republicans joined Democrats to support it but House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La. had vocally opposed the measure and the House adjourned without a vote on the measure in a move President Joe Biden last week called "bizarre."
"When we return to Washington, we will make clear to Speaker Johnson -- and others in Congress who are obstructing military and economic support -- exactly what is at stake here in Ukraine and for the rest of Europe and the free world. We will keep working to ensure Congress steps up, does the right thing, and delivers help for our friends and allies," he said.
While announcing more than 500 new sanctions against Russia for the invasion of Ukraine and the death of opposition leader Alexei Navalny, Biden again urged Johnson to hold a vote on the measure.
"It passed overwhelmingly in the Senate, and there is no question that, if the speaker called a vote, it would pass quickly in the House," Biden said.
