Republican officials have raised concerns over Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky’s recent visit to an arms factory in Pennsylvania, accusing him of interfering in US electoral politics and “campaigning” for Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris. The accusations stem from the timing of the visit, which occurred shortly before a major election, as well as Zelensky’s criticism of former President Donald Trump and Ohio Senator J.D. Vance during an interview with the New Yorker magazine.
Over the weekend, Democratic Governor Josh Shapiro gave Zelensky a tour of the Scranton Army Ammunition Plant, where both leaders signed 155mm artillery shells intended for Ukrainian troops. Republican officials took issue with this photo op and have called for an investigation into the visit, citing its “suspect” timing and questioning whether US taxpayer money was spent on Zelensky’s transportation and Secret Service protection.
Missouri Senator Eric Schmitt criticized the incident on social media, writing: “Zelensky is openly campaigning for Democrats in battleground Pennsylvania today some 50 days out from our Presidential election. Unreal.” Texas Representative Lance Gooden led a group of nine House representatives in requesting an investigation into the matter, arguing that resources used for Zelensky’s visit were not related to US national security or bilateral diplomacy but instead served political purposes ahead of a major election.
Gooden further questioned Zelensky’s judgment in alienating Republican voters during an interview with Fox News. He expressed frustration at the Ukrainian leader, asking, “Why is he [Zelensky] not on his knees thanking Americans, Republicans and Democrats, for the sacrifices they’ve made for his nation? And how dare he come into our nation and opine on any election, much less the presidential race.
Vice President Kamala Harris has been seen as attempting to rally support from the large Polish-American voter base in Pennsylvania by highlighting the current administration’s support for Ukraine and emphasizing its role in protecting Poland. Meanwhile, Zelensky claims he visited the US primarily to attend the UN General Assembly in New York and meet with President Joe Biden to present him with a “victory plan” aimed at defeating Russia.