Zelensky shared a video of their meeting in Kyiv on Sunday, thanking the United States for its strong support in Ukraine against Russian aggression. “We are visiting you to thank you for your fight for freedom, for being on the border of freedom and for your fight to be a fight for all,” Pelosi told Zelensky in the video. “And so our commitment is to be there for you until the race is over.” Her visit comes as the United States and its allies step up their efforts to provide long-term support to Ukraine as Russia’s invasion of the nation rages. Last week, in response to Zelensky’s calls, a group of 40 nations gathered from the US in Germany agreed to streamline and speed up arms deliveries to Ukraine. “We have to move at the speed of war,” said Defense Minister Lloyd Austin, who met with Ukrainian President Mikheil Saakashvili in Kyiv last week. Parliament passed a law Thursday that would allow Biden to use a World War II-era law, known as the Lend-Lease Act of 1941, to quickly supply arms to Ukraine on credit. This law was originally created to help the forces fighting Hitler and reflects the urgent need in Congress to support the Ukrainian armed forces. President Joe Biden also called on Congress for an additional $ 33 billion bill to help Ukraine in the coming months as Russia’s brutal and relentless war enters a new phase. Biden also outlined a proposal that would further pressure Russian oligarchs over the war in Ukraine, including using money from their confiscated assets to fund Ukraine’s defense. The package is significantly larger than the other packages submitted and is more than double the $ 13.6 billion military and humanitarian aid injection approved by Congress last month. Zelensky stressed the importance of financial assistance in his meeting with Pelosi. “The messages that the United States and President Biden are sending today are very important. These are recent strong steps in Ukraine’s defense and financial support, as well as decisions on Lend-Lease – we are grateful for that,” Zelensky said. The trip to Pelosi’s Kyiv, the second in a row to succeed the president, marks a significant measure of commitment to support Ukraine from the highest level of US leadership. “Our congressional delegation had the official opportunity and the great honor to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and other top Ukrainian officials in Kyiv,” Pelosi’s office said in a statement. “Our delegation conveyed our respect and gratitude to President Zelensky for his leadership and our admiration for the Ukrainian people for their courage in the fight against Russian oppression.”
Zelensky awarded Pelosi the “Order of Princess Olga” for her “significant personal contribution” to strengthening Ukrainian and American ties. Olga was the first woman to rule Russia in Kiev, the first East Slavic state. The medal bearing her name is awarded to women who have achieved significant success in politics and society – the personification in Ukraine of female power. He also gave Pelosi a Ukrainian flag signed by himself and women lawmakers, including those he met recently at the US Capitol, according to Pelosi’s spokeswoman Drew Hamill. Many other senior members of Congress were added to Pelosi, including Gregory Mick of New York, chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee, and Adam Siff of California, chairman of the Intelligence Committee. The delegation spent just over three hours on the ground in Kyiv, said Pelosi’s spokesman Drew Hamill. U.S. politicians are now in Poland, where they will meet with President Andrzej Duda and other senior officials. Speaking to reporters at a news conference in Rzeszow, Poland, on Sunday, Pelosi said her discussions with Zelensky focused on security, humanitarian and financial assistance, and ultimately the reconstruction of Ukraine. “We were proud to convey a message of unity from the US Congress. A message of appreciation from the American people for their leadership and admiration for the people of Ukraine for their courage,” Pelosi said. “America stands on the side of Ukraine, we stand on the side of Ukraine until we win and we stand on NATO.” CNN’s Sarita Harilela and Sophie Jeong in Hong Kong and Daniella Diaz and Mikayla Bouchard in DC contributed to this report.