Zelensky makes first trip out of Ukraine since Russian invasion as he addresses US Congress

Zelensky could not be having a more different pre-Christmas schedule to what he experienced last year.

For the first time since Russia invaded Ukraine, Zelensky will travel to the US and address their Congress. It is a crucial visit to ensure a continued spotlight is shone on the devastation occurring in Ukraine and safeguard financial and political support.

Russian invasion by Putin was always a looming threat for Zelensky's government since he took power in 2019, and that threat became a reality on 24 February 2022.

The invasion of Ukraine by Russian troops has shocked the world. The outpouring of kindness in the immediate few weeks and months offered some Ukrainians a respite and even an alternate home.

The war continues. The bombs and death continue. The steadfastness of Zelensky continues.

And so, this build up to Christmas will be the most sobering of all for not just Zelensky but for the millions of Ukrainians living in conditions that are horrifying. Many are now without electricity or even running water.

The same can be said for Russian fatalities. Many of the Russian soldiers were said to be homesick and they did not want to fight Ukraine. They have no choice.

“You’re looking at well over 100,000 Russian soldiers killed and wounded,” Gen. Mark Milley, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said in remarks at the Economic Club of New York in November. “Same thing probably on the Ukrainian side.”

General Milley said that Russia’s invasion had also killed about 40,000 Ukrainian civilians and displaced 15 million to 30 million.

That’s "a lot of human suffering," he said.

Zelensky recently did an interview with US interviewer David Letterman, who travelled to Ukraine. They filmed the interview underground at a railway station. It's currently being shown on Netflix. In the interview, Zelensky's courage is understated and his dark humour emerges for brief moments.

His decision to visit the US and leave behind his beloved Ukraine was not made lightly. He was invited last Wednesday - 14 December - and Zelensky accepted on the Friday 16 December. Clearly, he was weighing up whether the trip is going to really help Ukraine and what message that sends to his people if he is seen to leave - even if he is leaving for a very short time.

The trip comes as US lawmakers are due to vote on a year-end spending package that includes about $45bn in emergency assistance to Ukraine. The latest tranche of US funding would be the biggest American infusion of assistance yet to Ukraine, above even Biden’s $37bn emergency request.

“The visit will underscore the United States’ steadfast commitment to supporting Ukraine for as long as it takes, including through the provision of economic, humanitarian, and military assistance,” said a White House statement announcing the visit.

President Zelensky confirmed in a tweet that he was on his way to Washington and would be speaking before Congress, as well as conducting a number of bilateral meetings.

Will he see his wife, Olena, and two children at Christmas? Maybe not. Zelensky is sacrificing everything for a world in which democracy survives. Let's hope he succeeds.