U.S. Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick, a pro-Ukraine Republican representing Pennsylvania, visited Ukrainian troops close to the entrance line on April 18, following his assembly with President Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv.
"These are wonderful troopers, the women and men of the Ukrainian navy, very similar to the women and men of the U.S. navy, have this wonderful preventing spirit. They're preventing for his or her democracy, they're preventing for the liberty – all of us in America want to face behind them," Fitzpatrick mentioned in a video handle filmed on the entrance line, revealed on his Fb account.
"I all the time have and all the time may have their again. I encourage all my colleagues in Congress to come back right here."
Fitzpatrick's go to comes as Washington signaled that it is able to stop its mediation efforts to finish Russia's struggle in opposition to Ukraine if an settlement isn’t reachable.
In a publish shared on Fb, Fitzpatrick revealed one other video, displaying him signing an artillery shell with a message to Russian President Vladimir Putin.
“It was my profound honor to ship a really ‘private’ message to Vladimir Putin in the present day, from the entrance strains of the struggle close to the Russian border, on behalf of our PA-1 group,” Fitzpatrick wrote.
He mentioned he had spent a number of days on the bottom, visiting artillery models of the Nationwide Guard and the drone operators from the Third Assault Brigade, who he praised for "fully altering warfare – not simply right here however throughout the globe."
Fitzpatrick mentioned that through the go to, the group was shelled close to the Russian border, tracked by Russian drones, and compelled to hold out an emergency evacuation from the world.
Based on Fitzpatrick, the territories beforehand occupied by Russian forces had been "fully burned down."
“That's what they do. They overwhelm you with our bodies, overwhelm you with artillery with not quite a lot of thought behind it,” he mentioned.
Earlier on April 17, Fitzpatrick met with President Volodymyr Zelensky, throughout which the 2 mentioned U.S. safety ensures for Ukraine, the proposed full and unconditional ceasefire, and broader efforts to attain what Zelensky described as “a dignified and lasting peace.”
Zelensky praised Fitzpatrick's dedication, significantly his resolution to fulfill with Ukrainian troopers close to the entrance. “That is very invaluable. Thanks in your assist!” Zelensky mentioned.
Fitzpatrick serves because the rating member of the Home Overseas Affairs Subcommittee on Europe, Vitality, the Atmosphere, and Cyber.
The Kyiv IndependentKateryna Denisova