Zelensky pushes US to speed arms shipments, greenlight deeper strikes into Russia

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky told a bipartisan group of senators Thursday that he could bring Russia to the negotiating table next year if the Biden administration speeds up shipments of weapons to Ukraine and greenlights missile strikes deeper into Russia. 

In a closed-door meeting that lasted about 90 minutes, Zelensky told senators that he needs more F-16 fighter jets and long-range missiles with capability to strike more than 100 miles into Russia, promising that Russian President Vladimir Putin would negotiate a peace deal if his own country faces a greater military threat. 

“He’s saying that within the [military aid] package that we’ve already provided that if he can get the right things that he believes he can force Putin to the table next year and start to negotiate peace. I think that’s the real upshot,” Sen. John Hoeven (R-N.D.) said.

The GOP senator said Zelensky is asking for “more F-16s, more long-range missiles, [and] permission to strike to where Russia is launching from all these attacks on Ukraine,” he said. 

Zelensky argued the capability to strike deeper into Russia could end the war swiftly and perhaps stave off the need for Congress to pass another major military aid package on top of the $61 billion lawmakers approved in April.

Senators emerging from the meeting said Zelensky expressed frustration that the Biden administration hasn’t transferred weapons more quickly since Congress approved the defense supplemental funding package earlier this year. 

“Congress has acted, but the administration resists following through on the weapons that the Congress has already appropriated money for. And they are in our stockpiles, and [Biden administration officials] have been slow-walking delivering them to the Ukrainians,” Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) told reporters after meeting with Zelensky.

“The message is that the longer that we slow-walk the weapons and put restrictions on their ability to use them against Russian stockpiles, energy resources and the like, the longer this war will go on,” Cornyn continued. “If we were to give them the authorities to use the weapons the way they want and deliver them on a timely basis, I think President Zelensky believes this war has a better chance of being resolved at the negotiating table.” 

Multiple senators indicated they were hopeful that during Zelensky’s meeting later Thursday at the White House, President Biden would give the OK to use those long-range missiles. 

“I hope he will,” Sen. Michael Bennet (D-Colo.) said of Biden. 

Zelensky’s visit to Capitol Hill came as part of a multiday trip through the United States, which included a stop with Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro and Sen. Bob Casey (D-Pa.) at a munitions factory in Scranton. However, that stop frustrated some Republicans. 

The Ukrainian president’s appearance with a governor who was on the shortlist to serve as Vice President Harris’s running mate and with an Democratic senator in a tight reelection race drew sharp criticism from Republicans who accused him of playing in domestic U.S. politics. 

On top of the munitions visit, Republicans were also upset by Zelensky labeling Sen. JD Vance (R-Ohio), the party’s vice presidential nominee, “too radical.” Vance is strongly opposed to increasing aid for the war-torn nation and has argued that Ukraine should give up land to secure a peace deal — an idea Zelensky has firmly rejected.  

Multiple senators noted that Zelensky did not discuss the twin topics, nor did any members present ask him about them during a Q&A session. 

“No, it didn’t come up,”  Cornyn said. “I think he got some bad advice, and Ukraine needs all the friends it can get.” 

The moves hit a nerve with some top House Republicans. House Oversight and Accountability Committee Chair James Comer (R-Ky.) launched a probe into the visit on Wednesday. He said the goal is to find out if the administration “attempted to use a foreign leader to benefit Vice President Harris’s presidential campaign.” 

On top of the sit-down with senators and Biden, Zelensky also had meetings planned immediately after with House members across the Capitol and with the vice president later in the afternoon. 

Notably, Zelensky did not meet with Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.). Johnson on Wednesday called on Zelensky to remove Oksana Markarova, the Ukrainian ambassador to the U.S., because Republicans had lost faith in her ability to handle diplomatic relations after Zelensky’s Pennsylvania visit. 

Markarova was present on Capitol Hill with Zelensky throughout Thursday’s stop.

The meeting took place a day after the upper chamber passed a stopgap funding bill that wrapped up its work until after the election.