Zelensky Addresses Joint Session of US Congress -- Appeals for Aid Against Russian Invasion (2022-12-21)

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky makes a dramatic wartime visit to Washington, addressing a joint session of Congress to plead for continued US military and economic aid. He presents a Ukrainian flag signed by front-line soldiers from Bakhmut, one of the war's bloodiest battlefields, and declares that "Ukraine is alive and kicking." The address comes as Republicans prepare to take control of the House, threatening future aid packages. Zelensky's visit highlights the sharp divide: the Biden administration and most Democrats support robust Ukraine funding, while Trump-aligned Republicans grow increasingly skeptical. Trump himself had criticized Zelensky as a "salesman" and questioned why the US was sending aid.