[Text/Observer Network Qi Qian] "Very touching", "heartbreaking", "hero"... After listening to Ukrainian President Zelenskiy's congressional speech, U.S. House speaker Pelosi issued such an exclamation on the 17th. Despite this, Pelosi still expressed his support for the establishment of a no-fly zone in Ukrainian airspace. She also revealed that the United States and NATO are in agreement on this issue, and Zelenskiy knew this before his speech.
Screenshot of us media report
On March 17, local time, U.S. House speaker Pelosi held a weekly press conference. According to the US Fox News Network, Capitol Hill and other US media reports, Pelosi mentioned Zelenskiy's congressional speech the day before (16th) in her speech.
Ukrainian President Zelenskiy delivered a speech to the US Congressman through video on the 16th. In his speech, he successively mentioned the "Pearl Harbor" and "9/11" incidents and President Shan to win the sympathy of US lawmakers, and also used Martin Luther King Jr. to call for the establishment of a Ukrainian no-fly zone, and played videos with sensational music and highlighting the suffering of the war when they were connected.
Pelosi praised Zelenskiy as a "hero," calling Zelenskiy's video screenings in his speech "heartbreaking." But she immediately said that despite this, the attitude of the United States on the no-fly zone remained unchanged.
"It was a very moving speech," Pelosi said at a press conference, endorsing the way IN WHICH PRESIDENT Biden has approached the Ukraine issue, "and yes, President Zelenskiy has once again called for the establishment of a no-fly zone ... [But] we're not going to set up a no-fly zone."
Pelosi then explained that the U.S. and NATO agree on the establishment of the no-fly zone, namely that "we will not enter Ukraine, which is not in line with the application of NATO Article 5." NATO Article 5 stipulates that when one member state is attacked, all member states will take action to provide assistance.
However, Pelosi added that the United States is preparing to supply Ukraine with "very advanced equipment."
Pelosi also said she believed Zelenskiy's request was justified, but revealed that Ukraine's leaders "knew" about the limits of NATO's involvement before the speech. Pelosi has spoken to Ukrainian officials several times before and spoke to Zelenskiy last week.
Pelosi holds a weekly press conference
Since the Russian-Ukrainian conflict, Zelenskiy has repeatedly called on Western countries to establish a no-fly zone in Ukrainian airspace, but with little success. The secretary general of NATO once again refused to set up a no-fly zone in Ukraine on the 16th, and said that he would not send ground troops across the Polish-Ukrainian border in the name of peacekeeping forces. The White House press secretary also stressed on the same day that the United States is "not interested in getting involved in World War III."
However, after Zelenskiy's speech in the US Congress on the 16th, the United States announced that it would provide additional military assistance of $800 million to Ukraine. CNN and other US media disclosed that these include portable individual missiles such as "Javelin" and "Stinger", as well as the "spring knife" small attack unmanned aerial vehicle system called "the most sophisticated and perfect" by Biden.
It is worth mentioning that the US House of Representatives passed a huge government expenditure bill of $1.5 trillion on the 9th. The bill includes emergency aid totaling $13.6 billion to Ukraine, but cuts the $15.6 billion budget requested by the Biden administration for outbreak relief.
The White House issued a statement on the 15th that the anti-epidemic funding is about to bottom. According to the Washington Post reported on the 16th, it seems that it is extremely difficult for the White House to obtain more anti-epidemic assistance. Some White House officials have warned that without the next funding, anti-epidemic measures may soon be halted or cut.
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