Pelosi details trip to Ukraine ahead of one-year anniversary: ‘It was dangerous’

Former Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) reflected on the “dangerous” nature of her surprise visit to Ukraine last year, a little over two months into its war with Russia, in a recent interview with The Associated Press.

“It was dangerous,” she told the AP. “We never feared about it, but we thought we could die because we’re visiting a serious, serious war zone.”

“We had great protection, but nonetheless, a war, a theater of war,” she added.

Pelosi, who was at the time second in line to the presidency, led a congressional delegation to Kyiv last May. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky greeted the then-Speaker and her delegation outside on the street, even as Kyiv remained under threat of Russian bombings.

“The courage of the president in greeting us on the street rather than us just meeting him in his office was yet again another symbol of the courage of the people of Ukraine,” Pelosi told the AP.

Almost one year after Pelosi’s visit, the war continues to rage on. Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov said on Friday that Kyiv is “mostly ready” to launch its long-awaited counteroffensive against occupying Russian forces.

“I would have hoped that it would have been over by now, but the fact is that, to the surprise of the Russians, the Ukrainians have made this a long fight,” Pelosi said.

“We must win,” she added. “We must bring this to a positive conclusion for the people of Ukraine and for our country.”

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