Thirty-seven Ukrainian lawmakers have traveled to the United States at their own expense to strengthen ties with U.S. officials, Ruslan Stefanchuk, speaker of the Ukrainian parliament, said on Feb. 7.
"Ukraine is facing a critical task — to restart our relations with our strategic partner, the United States. And we are doing this systematically at all levels, including restoring relations with the U.S. Congress," Stefanchuk said.
His comments come after President Volodymyr Zelensky on Feb. 6 criticized lawmakers for frequent foreign trips, including a visit to the U.S. for the National Prayer Breakfast.
Stefanchuk emphasized that the delegation, composed of both opposition members and representatives from the ruling party, is working with U.S. senators to rebuild political relationships.
"All the lawmakers are there not at the expense of the state; they went at their own expense," Stefanchuk said.
He assured that the work of the Verkhovna Rada would not be disrupted, noting that parliamentary duties extend beyond voting in plenary sessions to include committee work, investigations, and diplomatic engagement.
Amid Russia's full-scale invasion, Ukraine's current parliamentary convocation has been operating longer than any in the country's history.
Tim Zadorozhnyy
