Zelenskyy’s Pennsylvania Visit Sparks Bipartisan Backlash
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s visit to a Pennsylvania ammunition factory on Sunday has sparked a fierce political debate in the US. While the President expressed gratitude to the facility’s workers for their role in aiding Ukraine’s war effort, Republican lawmakers have accused the visit of being a partisan campaign ploy.
House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, a Republican, has demanded the immediate removal of Ukrainian Ambassador Oksana Markarova, accusing her of orchestrating a “partisan campaign event” designed to benefit Democrats. In a letter to Zelenskyy, McCarthy stated that no Republicans were invited to the plant tour and labeled it an “intentionally political move.”
The speaker’s demand comes at a critical time for Ukraine, with Zelenskyy seeking continued US support as the war against Russia enters its second year. While Democrats have largely supported Ukraine since the war began, Republicans have become increasingly divided, with some, including former president Donald Trump, advocating for a retreat from overseas involvement.
Rep. James Comer, the Republican chairman of the House Oversight Committee, has launched an investigation into whether taxpayer funds were used to fly Zelenskyy to Pennsylvania for a campaign event for Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic presidential nominee.
Even Republican senators who have previously supported aid to Ukraine have criticized Zelenskyy’s visit. Sen. Markwayne Mullin of Oklahoma, a Republican, stated that the President “really messed up.”
However, Sen. Roger Wicker, the top Republican on the Senate Armed Services Committee, has suggested that the visit was not as partisan as it appears. He plans to meet with Zelenskyy in the Capitol on Thursday.
Zelenskyy’s visit to the Scranton plant, one of the few facilities in the US producing 155 mm artillery shells crucial for Ukraine’s defense, was accompanied by prominent Pennsylvania Democrats including Governor Josh Shapiro, Senator Bob Casey, and Representative Matt Cartwright.
“It is in places like this where you can truly feel that the democratic world can prevail,” Zelenskyy wrote on social media. “Thanks to people like these — in Ukraine, in America, and in all partner countries — who work tirelessly to ensure that life is protected.”