Zelenskyy issues plea for support during Washington visit as Ukraine funding stalls in Congress

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy kicked off a quick visit to Washington on Monday, warning in a speech at a defense university that Russia may be fighting in Ukraine but its “real target is freedom” in America and around the world. He also issued a personal plea for Congress to break its deadlock and approve continued support for Ukraine.

His time in Washington, which will include meetings Tuesday at the White House and with Congress, is part of a last-minute push by the Biden administration to persuade lawmakers to pass a supplemental funding bill, as officials warn that the money for Ukraine is running out. But the mood on Capitol Hill ahead of Zelenskyy’s visit was grim as leading Senate negotiators said they were essentially out of time to strike a deal on U.S.-Mexico border security policies that Republicans have insisted be included in the package.