Zelensky Tells Congress International Bodies Have Failed

WASHINGTON, DC – MARCH 16: Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) introduces Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to talk to the U.S. Congress on the U.S. Capitol on March 16, 2022 in Washington, DC. Zelenskyy addressed Congress as Ukraine continues to defend itself from an ongoing Russian invasion. (Photo by J. Scott Applewhite-Pool/Getty Images)

As Vladimir Putin presses on together with his unprovoked assault on neighboring Ukraine, that nation’s chief – Volodymyr Zelensky – addressed members of the US Congress by way of satellite tv for pc Wednesday to make his case for extra help for his besieged homeland. But he additionally prompt worldwide our bodies have failed not solely of their response to the assault upon his nation however as organizations designed to forestall wars normally.

Speaking principally in Ukrainian however switching to English for his closing remarks, Zelensky started by reminding his viewers that Ukrainians “for eight years have been resisting Russian aggression.” Here, he was referring to the start of Russian hostilities when Putin in 2014, on former president Barack Obama’s watch, ordered the unlawful annexation of Crimea.

How does one evoke empathy from the political leaders of a nation that has not defended its soil in opposition to a overseas invasion pressure for greater than 200 years? The Ukrainian chief evoked the recollections of two assaults upon America that got here closest to such a state of affairs: the 1941 Japanese bombing of Pearl Harbor and the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist assaults on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. Recalling these two particular occasions gave Zelensky the chance to attract a sure parallel with the best terror Ukraine presently faces; each Pearl Harbor and 9/11 had been assaults from the air.

Some 1,000 Russian missiles have been fired into Ukraine, Zelensky identified, earlier than requesting the imposition of a no-fly zone over his nation. It appeared, although, as if the beleaguered president has all however given up hope that western powers can summon the braveness to make this transfer. So he requested, instead, for the availability of fight plane and different weapons to guard Ukrainian cities from aerial assault.

It is tough to think about Zelensky is especially impressed with how the US and different western nations have responded thus far to Russia’s invasion. Nevertheless, he expressed his gratitude for the help proven thus far, for the navy help and for the sanctions, as he knew could be anticipated of him. But then he mentioned, “I call on you to do more.” He requested for sanctions to be positioned on “all politicians in the Russian Federation.” The thought behind this, in fact, is to economically punish any and all of Putin’s allies. He additionally referred to as upon particular person members of Congress to strain American companies nonetheless energetic in Russia to tug out, in order that “Russians do not receive a single penny that they use to destroy people in Ukraine.”

Somewhat understandably, one may argue, Zelensky prompt that present worldwide alliances – and he was little doubt referring to NATO, the UN, the European Union, and maybe additionally the European Parliament – had proved unwilling or unable to adequately reply to worldwide crises. He indicated that, in his view, these alliances had failed:

“[W]e need to move on and do more. We need to create new tools to respond quickly and stop the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine which began on February 24 – and it would be fair if it ended in day, in 24 hours, that evil would be punished immediately. Today, the world does not have such tools. The war [sic] of the past have prompted our predecessors to create institutions that should protect us from war – but they unfortunately don’t work.”

(Photo by J. Scott Applewhite-Pool/Getty Images)

Zelensky proposed a brand new worldwide physique he dubbed “U-24,” which he envisions as an alliance with the aptitude to reply to crises inside 24 hours – not simply navy conflicts, however humanitarian disasters and pandemics.

Before his closing remarks, the Ukrainian chief performed a dramatic and heart-wrenching video montage of Ukrainian cities as they had been earlier than the Russian assault and as they’re at this time. The presentation was graphic in components – deliberately, in fact; he clearly wished the US lawmakers to see the blood and our bodies. The video closed with a easy message: “Close the sky over Ukraine.”

Zelensky concluded by claiming Ukrainians had been “fighting for the values of Europe and the world.” He appealed on to Joe Biden with the suggestion that “being the leader of the world means being the leader of peace.”

With Russian forces closing in on Ukraine’s capital, its president could have felt or believed this was his final alternative to influence the US to save lots of his individuals. Now, he should climate the onslaught and wait to see if his phrases had the required impression.

~ Read extra from Graham J. Noble.