US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi reaffirmed her country’s commitment to defending Ukraine against Vladimir Putin during a visit to Kyiv, where she met Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky.
She was pictured meeting Mr Zelensky on Sunday morning, and said she stopped in Kyiv with a congressional delegation who are enroute to Poland for further talks with leaders there.
“Our delegation traveled to Kyiv to send an unmistakable and resounding message to the entire world: America stands firmly with Ukraine,” Ms Pelosi said in a statement after her visit.
Images showed the pair walking in Kyiv and shaking hands outside a presidential building. The two sides then held talks about Ukraine’s fight against Russia, and US assistance.
“The United States is the leader in strong support for Ukraine in the fight against Russian aggression,” Mr Zelensky afterwards wrote on Twitter along with a video of Ms Pelosi’s visit. “Thank you for helping to protect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of our state”.
She is now the most high-profile US lawmaker to visit the country, after US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin met Mr Zelensky last weekend.
“Our Congressional delegation is honoured to be with you [Mr Zelensky], to thank you for your leadership and courage, to commend the Ukrainian people for their outstanding defence of democracy,” the House Speaker said in a video shared on Twitter.
“We are here to say to you, we are with you till this fight is over,” she continued. “We are here until victory is won”.
On Friday, US President Joe Biden asked Congress to pass a more than $33bn (£26bn) aid package for Ukraine, which Ms Pelosi said includes over $20bn (£16bn) for weapons, ammunition and other military assistance.
The remainder would go towards direct economic assistance to Ukraine’s government and humanitarian aid.
The full Congressional delegation included Democrat representatives Gregory Meeks, Adam Schiff, Jim McGovern, Jason Crow, Barbara and Bill Keating.
Additional reporting by Reuters and The Associated Press.
