Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky, third from right, meets with, from left, U.S. Sens. Maggie Hassan, D-N.H.; Jack Reed, D-R.I.; Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y.; Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn.; and Michael Bennet, D-Colo., amid Russia’s attack on Ukraine, in Lviv, Ukraine, on Friday. They met to discuss the failure of the House of Representatives to vote on aid for the war-torn country.
Ukrainian Presidential Press Service/Handout via REUTERS
Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky, left, shook hands with Sen. Maggie Hassan, D-N.H., and four other Senate Democrats. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., at right, led the delegation.
Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskky meets with delegation of U.S. Senate Democrats that included Sen. Maggie Hassan, D-N.H., at left. From left Sens. Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut, Majority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York, Jack Reed of Rhode Island, Michael Bennett of Colorado and U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine Bridget A. Brink.
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky, third from right, meets with, from left, U.S. Sens. Maggie Hassan, D-N.H.; Jack Reed, D-R.I.; Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y.; Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn.; and Michael Bennet, D-Colo., amid Russia’s attack on Ukraine, in Lviv, Ukraine, on Friday. They met to discuss the failure of the House of Representatives to vote on aid for the war-torn country.
Ukrainian Presidential Press Service/Handout via REUTERS
Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky, left, shook hands with Sen. Maggie Hassan, D-N.H., and four other Senate Democrats. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., at right, led the delegation.
U.S. Sen. Maggie Hassan, D-N.H., joined a delegation of five Senate Democrats who visited Ukraine in hopes of putting more pressure on House Speaker Mike Johnson to support an aid package to the war-torn country.
“I come from New Hampshire and our state motto is ‘Live Free or Die.’ We take those words seriously; our colleagues need to take those words seriously,” Hassan said at a news conference Friday after spending the day meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and getting briefings on the war with Russia.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., led the trip, joined by Sens. Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut, Michael Bennet of Colorado, Jack Reed of Rhode Island and Hassan.
Hassan spoke of the advice she had been given by her late father, Robert Coldwell Wood, who had survived the Battle of the Bulge in World War II.
“He was very clear that evil cannot be appeased. Vladimir Putin is evil, and the people of Ukraine are standing up to him to stop this unprovoked brutality, war crimes, the unconscionable acts we have seen from Putin, day in and day out,” Hassan said.
Zelensky noted this visit was on the eve of the second-year anniversary of Russia’s invasion that started this war.
“We share common values; thank you very much for helping us to save democracy,” he told the senators.
“We always had feelings that we are not alone, that the United States has been with us ... cross fingers, we are still together.”
The Senate last week approved a $95 billion bill providing assistance for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan by a 70-30 vote, with 22 Republicans joining most Democrats in voting in favor.
Speaker Johnson sent the House home for a two-week recess without bringing the measure up for a vote and said “we’re not going to be forced into action by the Senate.”
Johnson said southern border security spending must be part of any aid package; he previously refused to bring a separate, Senate-crafted border security bill to the full House for a vote.
Many House Republicans have charged the Biden administration has given too much aid to Ukraine without accountability.
Hassan: Freedom isn’t free
Schumer said he’s optimistic that Johnson will ignore opposition to Ukrainian aid and that ultimately release the Senate-passed bill will get significant bipartisan support in the House.
“You are defending Europe, you are defending the West, and you are defending the honor and strength of the United States,” Schumer told Zelensky.
Schumer said the aid fight comes at a critical time.
Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskky meets with delegation of U.S. Senate Democrats that included Sen. Maggie Hassan, D-N.H., at left. From left Sens. Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut, Majority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York, Jack Reed of Rhode Island, Michael Bennett of Colorado and U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine Bridget A. Brink.
“If you don’t get the aid, you will lose the war and if you get the aid you will win the war,” Schumer said.
This visit was Blumenthal’s fourth since the start of the war.
“To my friends in the House, lead or get out of the way, because history will judge you very harshly if you block this needed aid,” Blumenthal warned.
Hassan said American enemies are watching to see whether the U.S. steps up.
“There’s another popular saying in America. We say freedom isn’t free,” Hassan said. “The Ukrainian people know that better than anyone, sacrificing their lives, putting at risk their families and way of life, standing up for freedom.”
Hassan serves on the Senate Homeland Security and Veteran Affairs committees.
