First Ukrainian-born US lawmaker hopes Biden will meet Zelensky in Ukraine
Rep. Victoria Spartz (R-Ind.) on Sunday said she hopes President Biden will eventually visit Ukraine and meet with that country’s president, Volodymyr Zelensky.
“I hope President Biden will actually someday to make here to meet with President Zelensky,” Spartz, the first Ukrainian-born member of Congress, told co-anchor Dana Bash on CNN’s “State of the Union.”
Spartz noted that British Prime Minister Boris Johnson visited Ukraine to meet with Zelensky earlier this month amid the war with Russia.
“We definitely can arrange for our people to come here and visit Ukrainians,” she said.
Spartz is the latest individual to call for Biden to visit Ukraine amid the conflict.
Zelensky and Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba last week both expressed an interest in having Biden travel to the country. The Biden administration, however, has said sending the president to Ukraine is not an option.
On Saturday, Zelensky said “We will be expecting, when the security will allow, the President of the United States to come and to talk to us,” according to CNN.
Spartz’s comments come the same day Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin will travel to Ukraine. The U.S. has not confirmed the trip, but Zelensky said they are slated to visit the war-torn country.
Asked by Bash on Sunday if Blinkin and Austin visiting Ukraine sends a strong enough message of solidarity from the U.S. government, Spartz said “I think it’s important.”
“I’m glad to see some of our elected officials do come here because, you know, our people do support this fight and it’s important for us to be on the ground and shows that, you know, our country stands with the people of Ukraine,” Spartz said.