Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky will speak to Congress virtually Wednesday morning.
“As war rages on in Ukraine, it is with great respect and admiration for the Ukrainian people that we invite all Members of the House and Senate to attend a Virtual Address to the United States Congress delivered by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine on Wednesday, March 16th at 9:00 a.m.,” Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) wrote in a letter Monday.
Zelensky’s virtual speech will be broadcast in the Capitol Visitor Center Congressional Auditorium, which will only be open to members of Congress. However, viewers can tune into the speech on C-SPAN’s livestream or watch on news outlets including Fox News, NBC News and MSNBC, according to Newsweek.
The news of Zelensky’s address comes after Congress approved $13.6 billion in aid related to Ukraine in its annual government funding package and President Biden announced the U.S. would ban Russian oil, natural gas and coal imports.
Despite these measures, Zelensky has pushed for the United States and European allies to implement a no-fly zone over Ukrainian airspace. The White House has opposed to taking this step due to fears it would lead to direct conflict — and ultimately, war — between the U.S. and Russia.
Almost 300 members of Congress participated in a Zoom call with Zelensky earlier this month.