(The Center Square) – U.S. Sen. Mark Kelly visited Ukraine following the tense White House meeting between President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymir Zelenskyy.
The tour included meetings with Ukrainian military leaders such as Deputy Minister of Defense Ivan Havryliuk, the International Red Cross Committee and wounded service members, as well as a look at defense industry sites. Kelly, D-Arizona, expressed support for the Ukrainian military and condemned the Russian invasion.
“One thing is clear: No one wants this war to end more than President Zelenskyy and the Ukrainian people,” said Kelly, who returned Sunday to the U.S. “But it has to end in a way that protects their sovereignty and security. The safety of Ukraine is tied to the safety of the United States. That’s why I stand with Ukraine.”
The trip, which included a stop with U.S. military officials in Poland, was Kelly’s third since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022.
“What has struck me more than anything on both of my visits to Ukraine is the courage of the Ukrainian people and the innovation of the Ukrainian military as they defend their home against one of the largest militaries in the world,” Kelly, a former astronaut and Navy combat pilot, said after visiting Ukraine in September 2023. “Now, more than ever, the U.S. must remain an unshakable partner in the fight against Putin’s illegal invasion.”
“As always, I’m blown away by their [Ukrainian] resolve as they fight for their country in the face of Putin’s illegal invasion,” said Kelly. “I plan to bring what I’ve learned from Ukrainian leaders, service members and the Ukrainian people back to Washington to share the direct impact our support has on the ground.”
Kelly’s support came only days after President Trump’s tense meeting Feb. 28 with President Zelenskyy, where he told the Ukrainian president he was, “Now not in a very good position.” The U.S. has since paused military aid to Ukraine.
In response to Kelly’s visits to Ukraine, Elon Musk said, “You are a traitor,” on Musk’s social media platform X.
A February 2025 study from the Pew Research Center showed that 30% of Americans believe the U.S. is providing too much support to Ukraine, while 45% said the U.S. had provided about the right amount or not enough.
But the data did show a growing gap in support between Republicans – 47% said the U.S. provided too much support – and Democrats, with only 14% agreeing the U.S. had helped too much.
Kelly told senior Ukrainian officials he was working to reinstate military aid on his most recent trip. Since the war started, the U.S. has provided the country $66.5 billion in military aid.
Asked about Russian President Vladimir Putin’s missile attacks on Ukraine after the pause in U.S. funding, President Trump said, “I think he wants to get it stopped and settled, and I think he’s hitting them harder than he’s been hitting them. And I think probably anybody in that position would be doing that right now.”
