Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko to Congress: 'Live free or die'

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko on Thursday urged Washington to offer lethal and nonlethal aid to Ukraine amid its confrontation with Russia, calling the annexation of Crimea "one of the most cynical acts of treachery in modern history."

Poroshenko addressed a joint meeting of Congress, though his speech was as much directed at the assembled lawmakers as it was aimed at Moscow. He drove that point home by saying people around the world were wondering if we are "on the eve of a new Cold War."

"It is a war for the free world," he said. "For the free world. Today, aggression against Ukraine is a threat to the global security everywhere."

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up

As he wound down the hour-long speech, Poroshenko urged Congress to action by referencing New Hampshire's famous motto: Live free or die.

"Live free must be the message Ukraine and America send to the world while standing together," he said.

Around the same time Poroshenko completed his address, the White House announced $53 million in additional assistance to Ukraine.