Ukrainian President Meets With Congress For $24 Billion In Aid Against Russia

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy made a whirlwind visit to the nation's capital Thursday, meeting with President Biden, Pentagon leaders, and importantly with Congress. Congress is being asked to approve another $24 billion in weapons and humanitarian aid for his embattled nation.

While President Biden declared his unwavering support for Ukraine this week, it's become less clear if Zelenskyy can count on the same level of support in Congress, where a growing number of House Republicans have begun to question the wisdom of continuing to send billions of dollars to Ukraine without more assurance that the dollars are being used as intended, or that Ukraine can even prevail over Putin's Russia.

"I think a lot of people have the question, 'What’s the strategy to win?' They want accountability," Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) told reporters Wednesday, "to make sure resources are going to the right place."

Following meetings with congressional leaders that Zelenskyy characterized as "frank" and "constructive," some members say they were left with doubt about continuing to provide Ukraine with military and humanitarian aid.

"If we step away from supporting them, the Russians will win this war," Sen. Chris Coons (D-DE) said. "He was very clear about that."

In a post on social media, Oklahoma Senator James Lankford indicated his intention to continue to support aid to Ukraine: “The war in Ukraine cannot be a “forever” war, but the United States of America cannot ignore what Putin is doing to its neighbors."

Oklahomans, Lankford says, have expressed concern to him over the ongoing funding and whether it's worth it. He says he tells them it also concerns him -- "I want to see an end to this war as fast as possible," Sen. Lankford said in an interview, "but the worst possible scenario is to have Putin win this war and be able to take a section of Ukraine because he will dig in and then just keep moving."