After embrace at NATO summit, Zelenskyy takes his case for US military aid to governors

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Away from Washington, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy sought to broaden support for U.S. military aid by telling state governors Friday that the world’s leaders should see for themselves the carnage wrought since Russia invaded his country more than two years ago.

Zelenskyy’s plea at the National Governors Association summer meeting in Salt Lake City came days after NATO leaders met in the U.S. capital and pledged more help for Ukraine.

“The only thing we ask for is sufficient support — air defense systems for our cities, weapons for our men and women on the frontline, support in protecting normal life and rebuilding,” Zelenskyy told the governors. “This is all we need to withstand and drive Russia from our land and to send a strong signal to all other potential aggressors which are watching.”

NATO members this week agreed to a new program to provide reliable military aid to Ukraine and prepare for its eventual membership in the alliance. They declared Ukraine was on an “ irreversible ” path to join NATO and, for the first time, that China was a “ decisive enabler ” of Russia in the war.

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Yet many Republicans including former President Donald Trump have been skeptical and in some cases opposed to continuing to help Ukraine fight off Russia’s 2022 invasion. President Joe Biden highlighted NATO’s world role and his differences with Trump over Ukraine after the summit.

While governors don’t vote on U.S. military aid to Ukraine, Zelenskyy’s appearance showed his willingness to connect with other leaders in the U.S. to plead his country’s case.

He got a warm welcome, introduced to cheers and thunderous applause by Utah Gov. Spencer Cox, a Republican and the outgoing National Governors Association chairman.

“There are things that happen in world affairs. Sometimes it’s hard to tell who the good guys and the bad guys are. This is not one of those times,” Cox said.

Cox and Zelenskyy signed a trade agreement between Utah and the Kyiv region. Several governors of both parties pledged in a closed-door meeting with the Ukrainian leader to urge their states’ wealthiest people to give humanitarian aid, said Hawaii Gov. Josh Green, a Democrat.

The Ukrainian president also met Friday with members of Utah’s congressional delegation — all are Republicans — and with leaders of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the uber-wealthy Utah-based faith known widely as the Mormon church.

Zelenskyy’s appeal to governors from both parties could pay dividends if Trump is reelected in November, Green told The Associated Press.

“If Mr. Trump becomes president again, perhaps he’ll listen to some of the Republican governors that were in the room and us, perhaps, as Democratic governors because it’s a humanitarian crisis,” he said.

Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt, a Republican, said Zelenskyy made “a very, very good case” that has motivated him to urge others in his party to continue sending aid. Stitt had previously called for “imposing all possible sanctions” on Russia but had not come out in favor of funding the Ukrainian military.

“We need to punch a bully in the nose when he’s coming in and trying to take over a sovereign country like Ukraine,” Stitt told reporters Friday. “It seems like a pretty good use of funds. These aren’t American forces on the ground, these are just simply dollars, weapons, technology. It makes a lot of sense.”

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Gruver reported from Cheyenne, Wyoming.