Mike Pence makes surprise visit to Ukraine to meet Zelensky
Mike Pence made a surprise trip to Ukraine on Thursday, becoming the first Republican presidential candidate to visit Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
His visit comes shortly after the Wagner Group uprising in Moscow and after a deadly Russian attack on a pizzeria in Kramatorsk, Ukraine.
Pence visited three different cities and towns – Bucha, Irpin and Moschun – outside Kiev. All three were badly destroyed by the Russian occupation last year.
The former vice president toured the wreckage, meeting locals and laying flowers at memorials.
His visit comes about four months after President Joe Biden visited Kiev.
Mike Pence made a surprise trip to Ukraine and became the first Republican presidential candidate to do so – meeting President Zelensky
Pence said the trip reiterated his support for Ukraine.
“I believe that America is the leader of the free world,” he said NBC news. “But coming here as a private person – to be able to see first hand the heroism of the Ukrainian soldiers who held the line in those woods, to see the heroism of the people here in Irpin who held back the Russian army, to help families seeing whose homes were literally shelled in the midst of an unscrupulous and unprovoked Russian invasion – only strengthens my determination to do my part, to continue to advocate for strong American support for our Ukrainian friends and allies.”
Pence has long supported Ukraine in its fight to repel the Russian invasion.
Zelensky said the support of every American is “vital.”
“The support of the United States for our fight for freedom is essential. The support of all Americans, every American family, all social groups, Congress — both parties, both houses, and of course the support of President Joe Biden. I am grateful for this support!” he wrote on Twitter.
“Today, the 48th Vice President of the United States, Mike Pence, is in Kiev. We discussed our defense, the interaction between our nations, security cooperation and the importance of our partners’ determination and certainty regarding Ukraine’s future membership in NATO.’
In March 2022, before announcing his presidential bid, Pence went to the Ukrainian border and met refugees displaced by the fighting.
Both trips were organized by Samaritan’s Purse, CNN reported. It is an American evangelical disaster relief charity led by Rev. Franklin Graham. Pence and his wife Karen volunteered to join the organization.
He said he made the visit because “it is important that the American people understand the progress we have made and how supporting the Ukrainian military has been in our national interest.”
Other Republican presidential candidates have taken different positions on Ukraine.
Donald Trump initially praised Russian President Vladimir Putin as “smart,” but later said he could end the war within 24 hours.
Ron DeSantis originally called the war a “territorial dispute,” but later clarified his comment.
“What I’m referring to is where the fighting is going on right now, that’s that eastern border region of Donbas, and then Crimea, and you have a situation where Russia has had that. I don’t think legit, but they had,” DeSantis told Fox Nation in March.
“There are many ethnic Russians there. So that’s a tough fight, and that’s what I was referring to, and so I didn’t think Russia was entitled to that, so if I had to make that clearer, I could have.”
Ukrainian firefighters continue to work to recover the remaining bodies under the rubble at the Ria Pizza restaurant after a rocket attack in the center of Kramatorsk.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky meets Mike Pence in Kiev
Mike Pence’s visit to Ukraine comes about four months after President Joe Biden traveled to Kiev to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky
Many Republican voters have expressed concern about the amount of money the US is giving to Ukraine, arguing that the money should be spent at home.
According to a Pew Research poll, 44% of Republicans and Republican independents say the US gives too much aid to Ukraine.
Ukraine has launched a counter-offensive to beat back Russian troops.
Kiev said its troops were gaining ground in Donbas — on the same day, Russian attacks on a pizzeria in eastern Ukraine killed at least 12 people.
The Ria Pizza restaurant in Kramatorsk was popular with soldiers, journalists and aid workers. The rocket hit around 7:30 p.m. during the dinner rush hour.
Moscow, meanwhile, insisted that the Wagner group uprising that shook President Vladimir Putin’s government would not affect Russian operations in Ukraine.