U.S. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) faces reporters following the Senate Republicans weekly policy lunch at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, March 8, 2022.
Evelyn Hockstein | Reuters
U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell lead a Senate delegation to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kyiv on Saturday.
The meeting was “a powerful signal of the two-party support of Ukraine by the United States’ Congress, as well as the American people,” Zelenskyy said in a Telegram post that was translated by NBC News.
Senators John Barrasso, John Cornyn, and Susan Collins were among the delegation, according to a video posted on social media. It’s unclear if the group is still in Ukraine.
Andrii Yermak, head of the president’s office, said the Senators discussed additional sanctions on Russia and Ukraine’s hopes that the Senate will pass a $40 billion aid package that’s already made its way through the House.
The U.S. has sent a handful of government officials to the embattled country in the past few weeks. Earlier this month, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi led a U.S. congressional delegation to meet with Zelenskyy, followed by first lady Jill Biden. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, Sen. Steve Daines and Rep. Victoria Spartz have also traveled to Ukraine.