World News | Zelenskyy Pays Tribute to Leonid Kravchuk

Kyiv, May 11 (AP) Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy ended his nightly video address by paying tribute to Leonid Kravchuk, the first president of an independent Ukraine, who died on Tuesday at age 88.

“He was not just a politician, and even not just a historical figure,” Zelenskyy said late Tuesday. “He was a man who knew how to find wise words and to say them so that all Ukrainians would hear them.”

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This was particularly important in “difficult, crisis moments, when the future of the whole country may depend on the courage of one man,” said Zelenskyy, whose own communication skills and decision to remain in Kyiv when it came under Russian attack have helped make him a strong wartime leader.

“Leonid Makarovich (Kravchuk) showed just such courage,” Zelenskyy said.

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“Perhaps it was because of his wisdom that he was especially cheerful. He always valued life, every minute. But he always found much more than one minute to help sort things out and give advice. And I am personally grateful to him for that in particular.”

Kravchuk led Ukraine to independence during the collapse of the Soviet Union and served as president from 1991 to 1994. In recent years, he tried to help negotiate a settlement to the conflict in eastern Ukraine.

“As a child he lived through World War II, lived through the occupation,” Zelenskyy said. “Leonid Makarovich knew the price of freedom and with all his heart wanted peace for Ukraine. I am sure that we will accomplish this. We will achieve our victory and our peace.”

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Washington: Senators meeting Tuesday with Ukraine's ambassador to the US says her message was one of thanks and making clear more help will be needed in the future.

Senators from both parties met with Oksana Markarova to discuss the war in Ukraine. Congress is preparing to provide $40 billion in military and humanitarian aid to help Ukraine defend against Russia's military invasion.

Senator Robert Menendez, the Democratic chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, says of the meeting: “It was a message of thanks, a call to support us to the end.”

Democratic Senator Chris Coons of Delaware says Markarova told lawmakers that Ukraine had already depleted its stockpiles of “Soviet-era weapons and equipment and material,” and that it was vital for the US and others to resupply Ukraine.

“Thank you, do more. We have a hard fight ahead,” Coons said of Markarova's message to lawmakers. “With your support, we can win.”

Republican Senator Roy Blunt of Missouri says members of his party were satisfied with the ambassador's explanation for how a previous bout of aid has been spent and describes the latest $40 billion initiative as a “survival package”. (AP)

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