A speech from Ukraine’s president, and another $800 million in aid

Ukrainian President Volodomyr Zelensky spoke virtually to a joint session of Congress to ask for more military assistance. President Joe Biden responded just hours later, as expected.

SHARE A speech from Ukraine’s president, and another $800 million in aid
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky virtually addresses Congress on Mar. 16, asking for more aid against the Russian invasion.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky virtually addresses Congress on Mar. 16, asking for more aid against the Russian invasion.

J. Scott Applewhite/Pool/AFP

According to the latest news reports, there are signs of progress on peace talks to end the three-week-old war sparked by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. That’s good news, but it’s hard to feel much optimism about such reports as long as Russian soldiers remain within Ukraine’s borders.

For that reason, the United States and other nations must increase the pressure on Russia for its unprovoked attack. President Joe Biden did that on Wednesday when he announced another $800 million in military aid for Ukraine, including anti-aircraft systems and drones to defend against Russia’s relentless airstrikes.

Editorials bug

Editorials

More aid for Ukraine is the right move. Ukrainians are putting their lives on the line to fight aggression and defend its democracy. The U.S. and allies must, as Biden said, “continue to have their backs” and provide as much assistance as possible.

Peace talks, of course, should continue. The world should be fervently hoping for an end to the war, as long as Ukraine maintains its independence.

But by now, it should be crystal-clear to anyone paying even the slightest attention that Vladimir Putin cannot be trusted. With him, there is no appealing to reason, much less any latent humanitarian instinct. Like any other bully, especially one who already has power and is eager to grab more, Putin will not back down — indeed, is likely to commit far worse atrocities than bombing a maternity hospital or a theater-turned-shelter, among other civilian targets — unless forced to do so.

America’s $800 million is money well-spent to help make that happen.

Biden’s announcement came just hours after Ukrainian President Volodomyr Zelensky spoke virtually to a joint session of Congress to make a plea for more aid. Zelensky was given another standing ovation, as he earned previously from the Canadian and British parliaments, and invoked Pearl Harbor and 9/11 to make his case to lawmakers and Biden for more aid.

“Being the leader of the world means being the leader for peace,” Zelensky said.

Opinion Newsletter

In addition to more military aid, Zelensky also called for sanctions against members of the Russian government and made an argument for every American company still doing business in Russia to leave. We support both steps, if they can help quickly end Putin’s aggression.

Zelensky also called again for a no-fly zone over Ukraine, then played a video showing everyday life in Ukrainian cities before the attack, interspersed with scenes of war.

The video was effective, without a doubt. But as experts and officials have warned, imposing such a no-fly zone risks drawing the U.S. into a direct confrontation with Russia, perhaps even sparking Putin into launching a small-scale nuclear attack. Neither is acceptable. Biden has so far rightly resisted that step.

The president is scheduled to travel to Europe next week for a NATO summit on the Russian invasion.

By then, let’s hope for more encouraging news from those peace talks.

Send letters to letters@suntimes.com

The Latest
Antoine Perteet, 33, targeted victims on the dating app Grindr, according to Chicago police.
Glass-facade buildings can disorient birds in flight. The city is expected to update and revise rules for new developments and rehabbed buildings next month. But bird groups say the proposed guidelines need to be mandatory.
The man was shot in the left eye area in the 5700 block of South Christiana Avenue on the city’s Southwest Side.
Most women who seek abortions are women of color, especially Black women. Restricting access to mifepristone, as a case now before the Supreme Court seeks to do, would worsen racial health disparities.
The Bears have spent months studying the draft. They’ll spend the next one plotting what could happen.