CHARLESTON, WV (WOWK) — Reaction to Ukrainian President Zelenskyy’s speech was immediate from the congressional audience, and quite supportive.
All five members of the West Virginia Congressional Delegation condemned Vladimir Putin’s Russian invasion from the start and today was no different.
Reaction from West Virginia’s Congressional Delegation to President Zelenskyy’s was swift this morning.
Addresses to a Joint Session of Congress by a foreign leader are fairly rare, but this is the third time a Ukrainian leader has done so.
Those in the audience called it moving.
“We need to arm them. We need to give them more weaponry to fight back against the Russians. The video he showed was very powerful to me. And I just want to thank him for his bravery and the Ukrainian people for their bravery,” said Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, (R) West Virginia.
“I would support the No-Fly Zone. I don’t know how it’s to be enforced, because obviously, it’s complicated when it comes. But before we would do that, we could supply the planes as long as we don’t get dragged into this because I don’t want American troops on the ground,” said Rep. David McKinley, (R) West Virginia.
West Virginia 3rd District Congresswoman Carol Miller released a statement on Twitter, saying, “Thank you President Zelenskyy for addressing Congress this morning. America stands with Ukraine in its fight for freedom and against Putin’s evil. May God be with you.”
U.S. Senator Joe Manchin weighed in today, too, praising Ukrainian President Zelenskyy’s, “immense courage leading his country through this senseless attack from Vladimir Putin.”