“This morning, Congress heard from a man of courage, of resolve, and of unshakeable faith in the power and promise of democracy. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine spoke to the representatives of the American people and of our states from the battered and bombarded capital of Kyiv, where Ukraine’s democratic government still stands, in spite of Vladimir Putin’s criminal effort to snuff it out. It stands because of the bravery and sacrifice of the Ukrainian military and the Ukrainian people, who have demonstrated an immeasurable devotion to freedom and self-government.  We were thankful as well to receive Ukraine’s indefatigable ambassador to our country, Oksana Markarova, and were honored by her presence today.   “When it became clear that Putin was mustering his forces for an unjustifiable and unprovoked invasion of the sovereign nation of Ukraine, America rallied the free world to oppose him. Under President Biden’s leadership, we brought NATO allies and our other partners together to impose swift and crushing sanctions on Russia and its oligarchs, and we have sent an unprecedented amount of lethal military aid to help Ukrainian forces defend their territory. I was proud to bring a funding package to the Floor last week that is now sending billions of additional dollars to help Ukraine defend itself, bolster NATO, and to address the humanitarian crisis that Putin’s war has created.   “The world thanks President Zelenskyy for his leadership and his bravery, and I thank him for sharing his vision for security and peace - not only for Ukraine and Europe but for our entire world. I hope that, once the Ukrainian people have secured victory and restored peace and self-government within their sovereign borders, the President may come here in person, stand at the rostrum of the Hall of the House, and receive the gratitude of the American people for defending global democracy on its front lines in its hour of peril. Surely, that day will come.  Slava Ukraini!”