- Ukrainian President Zelenskyy in his address implored lawmakers to send more aid to the country.
- "Right now, the destiny of our country is being decided, the destiny of our people," he said.
- Reactions from lawmakers were overwhelmingly positive, even as some still ruled out a no-fly zone.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during a virtual address to members of Congress implored the United States to increase aid to his country as its citizens continue their steadfast battle against Russian forces after three weeks of increasingly heavy conflict.
"Right now, the destiny of our country is being decided, the destiny of our people," said Zelenskyy, who received a warm reception from American lawmakers at the beginning of his Wednesday morning speech from Kyiv.
The Ukrainian leader referenced the domestic atrocities of Pearl Harbor and the Sept. 11 attacks to reiterate the severity of what his country faces in their path away from the fierce fighting that has come to define his homeland since February.
Zelenskyy then called on President Joe Biden to use his leadership mantle to push more forcefully for peace.
"President Biden, you are the leader of your great nation. I wish you to be the leader of the world Being the leader of the world means to be the leader of peace," he said.
He added: "I call on you to do more."
Lawmakers from across the political spectrum said they were touched by the speech, offering words of support in the face of a widespread military assault that is being driven by Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Democratic Sen. Chris Murphy of Connecticut, a member of the Foreign Relations Committee, said that Zelenskyy's speech made him even more resolute in his support of the Ukrainian people.
"It was terribly effective, incredibly emotional presentation," he told Insider on Capitol Hill. "There's no way you can come out of that speech without thinking to yourself what more can we do to stop this carnage."
He continued: "I've known Zelenskyy for years. He's an incredibly effective communicator, and he's right to link this moment to the broader fight for democracy and freedom. I mean, this is what he's saying is true. In the best traditions of America's fight for freedom, this fight with Russia is going to determine how safe global democracy is for the next 50 years."
When asked if the US should be helping facilitate the transfer of MiG-29 fighter jets from allies to Ukraine to help turn back the Russian invasion, Murphy said such an action is in Poland's hands.
"I think the question of the planes [MiGs] is still an open one," he told Insider. "It's not our decision to make, it's Poland's decision, and there's a question as to how effective they would be."
Murphy then blasted Putin's offensive and laid out the terms of the extraordinary situation, where the US is helping allies in a fight against another nuclear power.
"Putin is getting weaker and weaker every single day," the two-term senator told Insider. "I mean, the reality is that nothing that has happened over the last 20 days has made Putin look bigger, stronger, or more menacing."
He added: "This is the first time that the United States has been openly engaged in supplying a war against the world's other nuclear superpower."
Republican Sen. Joni Ernst of Iowa, on the other hand, said she strongly supports sending MiG-29 fighter jets to Ukraine, and said that Zelenskyy's request for a no-fly zone — which White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki has said "could prompt a war with Russia" — is something that she would have asked for if she was in his position.
"If I were in his shoes, I'd be doing the same thing," she said of Zelenskyy's calls for NATO to block Russian planes from flying over Ukraine.
Ernst also said it was "smart" of Zelenskyy to speak about American symbols that are potent reminders of the need to protect democracy around the world.
"It was so smart to do that, because it reminds us that we have all had very difficult times in our history," she said. "And we had other nations that rallied behind us. So I think it was very smart of him to do that."