(CNN)As his nation comes under attack, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is set to deliver a significant address to members of the House and Senate on Wednesday, a virtual speech delivered as the United States comes under pressure from Ukraine, the more embattled country to provide military assistance.
Zelenskyy is to urge the US to help enforce a no-fly zone in Ukraine – to protect civilians – and provide fighter jets to help Ukrainians defend themselves.
Those two controversial options are dividing lawmakers, with Republicans more aggressive about giving Ukraine jets, but some Democrats – and the White House – fear Russia could view such a move as an escalation and potentially drag America into a war.
Lawmakers from both parties say they currently fear a no-fly zone because they believe the US could go head-to-head with Russia in the skies over Ukraine.
While aid to Ukraine is widespread from both sides, many lawmakers also believe the US should be careful not to be drawn into a direct armed conflict with Russia.
President Joe Biden plans to detail U.S. aid to Ukraine in a speech of his own later Wednesday.
The US and its allies have taken a variety of measures to punish Moscow for its invasion in recent weeks, including imposing tough sanctions and export controls and a $350 million security aid package. Additionally, Congress recently passed a $13.6 billion emergency package to provide defensive, humanitarian and economic assistance to Ukraine, and the Biden administration announced a $200 million aid package last weekend at.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer announced the virtual address in a letter to lawmakers earlier this week. The speech will be broadcast live and streamed live, Pelosi’s office told CNN.
“I hope he will acknowledge what we have done, but then call on us to do what he feels is necessary for Ukrainians to ultimately prevail,” said Senate Foreign Relations Chairman Bob Menendez, a Democrat New Jersey, told reporters when asked what he expected from the virtual address.
“He’s the president of his country, he’s going to ask the maximalists on behalf of his people, that’s understandable, but that always has to be balanced with what’s in the national interest and security of the United States,” Menendez said at the time asked about Zelenskyy’s demands such as a no-fly zone.
“I think it’s important that Ukraine prevail in the national interest of the United States, I just don’t think a no-fly zone or direct confrontation is necessary for that,” Menendez said.
Some lawmakers in Congress are pushing to include provisions for supplying Ukraine with fighter jets in legislation targeting Russia’s energy imports and Russia’s trade status, but it’s not yet clear what the fate of these efforts will be.
Republican Senate leader John Thune of South Dakota said Monday there is broad bipartisan support for legislation targeting Russia’s energy imports and Russia’s trade status to punish the country for invading Ukraine. But, he said, members may want to add other provisions, such as allowing NATO countries like Poland to send fighter jets to Ukraine, a dynamic that could make it difficult for the legislation to pass quickly.
The Biden administration recently rejected a proposal by Poland to transfer fighter jets to Ukraine via the United States, arguing that this risks escalation as the US and NATO seek to avoid open conflict between the alliance and Russia.
“I know the government has its position on this, but there would be a lot of bipartisan support for Jets,” Thune told reporters at the Capitol.
“We’ll be hearing back from Zelensky tomorrow and I’m sure he’ll ask to increase the level of support we offer to include the MiGs,” Thune said Tuesday, referring to the MiG fighter Jets. “It should be an effort by all hands on deck to give them everything they need to fight their own battles. There are things I believe they haven’t received yet that they could that would help, lethal aid that would help them at least try to keep fighting and prevent the Russians from gaining access to many of their large cities,” he said.
“Tomorrow’s speech should further raise the issue in a way that I believe will put additional pressure on not only the government but both political parties in Congress to do whatever it takes to help Ukrainians,” Thune added .
But White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki told reporters Tuesday that despite Zelenskyy’s pleas, the White House does not support establishing a no-fly zone over Ukraine or supplying Ukraine’s air force with new fighter jets.
“I would take that into account [the Pentagon] said that adding aircraft to Ukraine’s inventory is unlikely to significantly change the effectiveness of Ukraine’s air force relative to Russia’s capabilities,” Psaki said during Tuesday’s press conference. “And the assessment was that the transfer of those planes could be wrong, escalation as we said, and could lead to a significant Russian response, but that’s the risk assessment that was done. This risk assessment has not changed.”
Regarding a no-fly zone, Psaki said Biden “needs to look at decisions made through the prism of what’s in our national security interests and global security interests, and he continues to believe that a no-fly zone would escalate.” could trigger a war with Russia.”
CNN’s Kevin Liptak, Jeremy Herb, Donald Judd, and Kate Sullivan contributed to this report.
Add Comment