‘We thought we may die’: Former Home speaker Nancy Pelosi on visiting Ukraine final yr

Former US Home speaker Nancy Pelosi made a shock go to to Ukraine throughout this time, almost a yr in the past when the battle had simply begun. Reflecting on the go to, Pelosi in an interview with The Related Press conceded that she and her delegation thought they might die within the warzone. 

“We by no means feared about it, however we thought we may die as a result of we’re visiting a critical, critical battle zone. We had nice safety, however nonetheless, a battle – theater of battle,” mentioned Pelosi. 

Pelosi was the highest-ranking elected US official to go to Kyiv on the time. Alongside her, democratic representatives, Barbara Lee, Jason Crow, Gregory Meeks, Jim McGovern, Adam Schiff and Invoice Keating additionally made their approach to the war-torn nation. 

The Democrat chief lauded the Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky who stood outdoors on the street to fulfill her, as an alternative of some protected house. 

“The braveness of the president in greeting us on the road moderately than us simply assembly him in his workplace was but once more one other image of the braveness of the folks of Ukraine,” she added. 

Even on the time, Pelosi informed Zelensky that her go to to Kyiv was a approach to say thanks. 

“We imagine that we’re visiting you to say thanks on your combat for freedom. We’re on a frontier of freedom and your combat is a combat for everybody. Our dedication is to be there for you till the combat is completed,” she mentioned again then. 

“Help for Ukraine has been bipartisan and bicameral, in each homes of Congress by each events, and the American folks assist democracy in Ukraine,” Pelosi informed AP. “I imagine that we are going to proceed to assist so long as we have to assist democracy… so long as it takes to win.”

In what was a uncommon incidence, pelosi additionally lauded newly elected Speaker Kevin McCarthy for internet hosting Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen on the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library earlier this month. 

“That was actually fairly a message and fairly an optic to be there. And so I salute what he did,” she mentioned.

Other than visiting Ukraine, Pelosi’s whirlwind journey to Taiwan was the spotlight of her final yr within the workplace. She visited the island in August and instantly after, China started a mammoth army train, aimed toward sending a powerful message. Talking about Beijing’s sharp rebuke, Pelosi termed it a ‘cowardly’ act. 

(With inputs from companies)