There could hardly have been a stronger image than Volodymyr Zelenksyj next to Joe Biden in the East Room, the largest room in the White House.

The Ukrainian President in an olive-colored sweater with the Ukrainian trident coat of arms on his chest, the American President in a dark blue suit with a tie.

Zelenskyy is abroad for the first time since Russia invaded Ukraine in February.

Sofia Dreisbach

North American political correspondent based in Washington.

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Less than forty-eight hours earlier, he had surprised Ukrainian soldiers with a front-line visit to the fiercely contested town of Bakhmut in the Donbass.

Now he has demonstrated solidarity with the United States, Ukraine's most important partner in the war against Russia.

It is not surprising that Moscow criticized the visit before it even took place.

At the meeting, Zelenskyi presented Biden with a military cross of merit, which he called "undeserved but highly valued."

Right at the beginning of the joint press conference, Biden emphasized that support for Ukraine was far from over.

Zelenskyy's visit made clear the need to stand by Ukraine's side in 2023 as well.

America supported them in everything and "we will continue to do so," Biden promised.

Even if that is exactly what is in question when the new Congress meets in January with a Republican majority in the House of Representatives.

MPs from the right wing of the Republicans in particular have increasingly questioned the billions in payments abroad in recent weeks.

"Investing in Global Security and Democracy"

"Your money is not charity," Zelenskyy called out to the deputies in his speech to Congress on Wednesday evening, "it is an investment in global security and democracy that we are dealing with responsibly." The fight in Ukraine cannot frozen, moved or ignored.

Selenskyj gave his speech in English and was repeatedly interrupted by cheers and applause.

The Ukrainian President thanked for the previous help, but also immediately asked for further support.

Congress decisions could save Ukraine, said Zelenskyy.

On Wednesday evening, however, the MPs were initially unable to agree on a spending package that also includes almost 45 billion emergency aid for Kyiv.

America has provided more than $20 billion in military aid since the beginning of the war, just before Biden's meeting with Zelenskyy, the Department of Defense announced another $1.8 billion aid package, including the Patriot air defense system, about whose delivery to the had already been suspected in the past few weeks.

Selenskyj, who had still worked with a translator to a large extent at the press conference, later switched to English before the congress.

In this language, too, he managed to deliver one of his typical, very personal speeches.

The Ukrainian President spoke of Bakhmut, the frontline town that he had just visited and in which hardly a civilian remained out of 70,000 inhabitants.

With his descriptions, he is likely to have made the horrors of the Russian war in Ukraine tangible for many MPs.

"Every inch of this country is soaked in blood." But despite the war, Ukrainians would celebrate Christmas this year.

"Even if there is no electricity, the light of our belief in ourselves will not go out." The country is "alive and moving".

"I don't support a blank check"

Despite loud bipartisan approval and support for Zelenskyy, his appearance before Congress exposed rifts in the Republican Party over aid to Ukraine.

Mitch McConnell, the Republican Senate Minority Leader, spoke out strongly in support of Ukraine's continued support after Ukraine's president's speech on Wednesday.

"The most important thing in the world right now is to defeat the Russians in Ukraine." Fortunately, the Ukrainians would have a leader everyone could look up to.

McConnell then added, looking ahead to Congress, "It's also nice that at the end of the year we can all really agree on one thing."

However, the minority leader and possible future majority leader of the Republicans in the House of Representatives proved that this is not the case that same evening.

Kevin McCarthy said his position has never changed.

“I support Ukraine, but I do not support a blank check.

We want to make sure everyone is accountable for the money spent.” Some of Ukraine's biggest critics, like right-wing MP Marjorie Taylor-Greene, didn't even attend Zelenskyy's speech, while others came to Congress but showed disinterest.

Colorado Republican Rep. Lauren Boebert barely applauded and spent most of the speech on her cell phone.