DAYTON — U.S. Rep. Mike Turner (R-Dayton) has traveled to Ukraine and met with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Turner traveled with fellow members of Congress, Reps. James Himes and Eric Swalwell, to Kyiv.
Video posted to social media showed Turner and his fellow members of Congress shaking hands with Zelenskyy. In the same video, Ukraine’s president sits with the congressmen and says the visit showed a “bold step that demonstrates strong bicameral and bipartisan support for Ukraine.”
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News Center 7 spoke with Turner Friday afternoon from miles away, though he wouldn’t say if he was still in Kyiv. He did say the the congressmen had briefings from Ukraine’s intelligence agencies.
Turner said he couldn’t be super specific, but they also spoke about weapons system and what Ukrainians need.
He admitted that Kyiv itself is still an active war zone. The group heard air raid sirens as Russians shelled the city and, according to Turner, Iranian drones attacked.
Turner said it was amazing to see the Ukrainian people go about their business.
“People are going to work, going about their daily lives,” Turner said. “[They’re] in parks, walking down the streets.”
He told News Center 7′s Mike Campbell that he witnesses people patching spots damaged by Russian attacks and that Zelenskyy had a message for the people Turner represents.
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“Absolute appreciated from the Ukrainian people and what they are achieving. They know they wouldn’t be achieving this without American support,” Turner said.
Zelenskyy became emotional when being told about how the people in American were thinking of supporting his people.
“I told him about [how] the Dayton Philharmonic has been opening with the Ukrainian national anthem and the Dayton Art Institute is lit in the colors of the Ukrainian flag. That was very touching to him,” Turner said.
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