Olena Selenska visits the USA, by far the most important arms supplier to Ukraine. With her speech in Washington, the Ukrainian President's wife asks for further military support. The future of school children and young adults is at stake.
During a speech in the Capitol in Washington, the Ukrainian first lady Olena Zelenska urgently asked the United States for more weapons and specifically for air defense systems. In a speech to congressmen and senators, Zelenska accused Russia of waging a "war of terror" against her country, according to the translator. In her lecture, in which she showed pictures of murdered Ukrainian children, among other things, she thanked the USA for their support.
"While Russia kills, America saves," Zelenska said. "But unfortunately the war is not over, the terror continues." She therefore felt compelled to ask for weapons. "Weapons that are not used to wage war in a foreign country, but to protect one's homeland," said President Volodymyr Zelensky's wife. "I ask for anti-aircraft systems so rockets don't kill children in their prams, so rockets don't destroy children's rooms and kill entire families." She appealed to the Americans: "Help us to stop this terror against the Ukrainians."
Selenska complained that the war was depriving the Ukrainians of normality. "Will my son be able to return to his school in the fall? I don't know, like millions of mothers in Ukraine. Will my daughter be able to go to university at the beginning of the academic year and lead a normal student life? I can't answer that. What should Ukrainian teachers prepare for - to work in classrooms or in bunkers? We would have answers if we had anti-aircraft systems."
Zelenska is currently visiting the United States, by far Ukraine's most important arms supplier. On Tuesday she met the First Lady, Jill Biden, for a bilateral meeting. Before that, the First Lady and US President Joe Biden had received Selenska at the White House.
Jill Biden tweeted on Wednesday: "On behalf of all Americans, it was my honor to welcome Ms. Selenska to the White House." Both had already met during a surprise visit by the First Lady to Ukraine in May. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with Selenska on Monday.
