U.S. lawmakers visit Kyiv, liberated capital’s suburbs

Daines and Spratz are the first American officials to make a visit to Ukraine since the start of the war, The New York Times reports.

“Nothing can substitute for actually being here, seeing it first-hand, spending time with the people and leaders here in Ukraine who have been horribly affected by this war,” Daines said.

It was important, he said, for American elected officials to show solidarity.

As noted, the U.S. lawmakers were invited by the Ukrainian authorities. The politicians visited Kyiv, Bucha, and Borodianka.

Daines and Spartz said they were urging the United States to return diplomats to Ukraine as some European states have done.

“I hope that our visit will encourage more American officials and leaders to come, to stand with the people of Ukraine,” Mr. Daines said, while Ms. Spartz said it was “important to show our support, to show we care.”

On February 24, Russian president Vladimir Putin announced the beginning of a full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Russian troops shell and destroy key infrastructure facilities, massively fire on residential areas of Ukrainian cities, towns, and villages using artillery, MLRS, ballistic missiles, and aviation bombs.

Photo credit: Daniel Berehulak for The New York Times