Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky took a dig at US Congress in Saturday remarks before the Munich Security Conference, at a moment Biden's $95.3 billion aid package for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan is still being held up.
"First, we all must do not something, but everything possible to defeat the aggressor," Zelensky told the audience of Western defense officials. "Please, everyone remember that dictators do not go on vacation."
He was referencing both the House and Senate being out of session for the next week as they're in the midst of a two week recess.
"The bolder and more active America was along with the others on the right side of history, the more successful freedom was," Zelensky continued. "The world would have long been divided among the dreams of a few dictatorships if it was not the American dream that always left enough space for the people’s dreams."
President Biden too had blasted House members in particular for going on 'vacation' just as they were supposed to take up the immense foreign defense aid package.
He went off in a press conference, saying "Instead of going on a two-week vacation. Two weeks, walking away. Two weeks? What are they thinking? My God, this is bizarre, and its just reinforcing, and it's just reinforcing all the concern and, and almost I won't say panic, but real concern about the United States being a reliable ally. This is outrageous."
Yet for Ukrainian forces, it's more negative news upon negative news. Overnight the Russian army secured a major victory as Ukrainian forces have retreated from the eastern city of Avdiivka.
The country's newly-installed top commander, General Oleksandr Syrsky, announced that he had ordered troops to evacuate the city. Surrounded in three directions by the Russian army, Ukrainian soldiers in the city found themselves in a rapidly-tightening noose.
Meanwhile statements like the below are likely only to prolong the tragic conflict...
When the House does come back into session, lawmakers will see in this latest loss and retreat even less incentive to support tens of billions more in taxpayer monies to Kiev. Zelensky's mockery is not likely to help matters either.
Of course, Zelensky also didn't want to miss a moment where he could take a swipe at Trump. "If Mr. Trump will come I am ready even to go with him to the front line," Zelensky told the conference. It's not the first time Zelensky has 'invited' Trump to Ukraine, and it likely won't be the last, headed into the US election.