The man of war was entered into a power-dressed, buttoned-up chamber of US politicians.
Volodymyr Zilenskyy wore khaki with a look that reflected his polite exhaustion.
This was the message he brought into the House chamber. It was an appeal from the heart that conveyed the reality and suffering of his country.
He was rewarded with standing ovations, but not from everyone.
Cameras captured Republican representatives sitting defiantly, while everyone around them rose in praise. This picture spoke volumes about the doubt surrounding Ukraine’s continued aid.
Their guest is well aware of this fact and felt the need to emphasize that in an interconnected world, tyranny will not stop at Ukraine.
He said that American support is not charity, but an investment.
He only hopes that the Republicans will carry this message into the New Year, when they assume control of the House of Representatives.
The vast majority of his hosts agreed with him and there was an accompanying text.
It was sent to Nancy Pelosi’s colleagues in a note just hours before President Zelenskyy addressed Congress.
The Speaker of the House of Representatives, who is now outgoing, wrote that the occasion was “fraught” because her father was a member of Congress when Winston Churchill spoke to a joint session of Congress during the Second World War in 1941.
Two wartime leaders addressed Congress in wartime. The purpose of drawing parallels was to sharpen perspective.
US President Biden also echoed the warnings about conflict and its potential consequences.
The new pals behaved like old friends at the White House meeting.
It is a partnership forged by mutual interests and a news conference that brings together the two of them.
They are united by a common struggle: Ukraine’s war/Americas proxy war.
The pledge by Mr Biden on Patriot missiles is calculated, an escalation of US involvement, but it won’t change US engagement rules.
He will have loved listening to Mr Zelenskyy say that it’s US weapons that he needs and not American personnel to operate them.
If President Biden wants to run for the 2024 election, his decision is expected to be made early next year. The way the conflict in Ukraine plays out will determine his chances of winning the presidency.
The US supports Ukraine because it feels a moral obligation to help its people. The geopolitical dividend is another important factor – America is stronger when Russia is weak.
America is further strengthened when Russia is weakened by the US-led strategy
Volodymyr Zelenskyy was the star of this visit, but he wasn’t the only one.
The same goes for the politics of war.
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