Senator Ted Budd (Republican Party, North Carolina), Senator Tim Kaine (Democratic Party, Virginia), and Senator Alan Armstrong (Republican Party, Oklahoma) have arrived in Odesa.
As reported by an Interfax-Ukraine agency correspondent, the bipartisan delegation held a joint press conference in Odesa.
Senator Kaine thanked Senator Budd for leading the delegation, noting that this is his second trip to Ukraine over the past year.
"I serve on the Armed Services Committee. So, of course, among the other countries we visited, we spoke about the need for strong American support and strong ally support for the resilient and courageous defense of Ukraine against the Russian invasion, which has been going on for a little over four years now. It is amazing what Ukraine has been able to achieve. And we heard from our Ukrainian friends how important US investments have been to the work Ukraine has been able to do to defend its country," Kaine said.
Separately, the senator noted that they held a meeting with American companies that had a significant presence both in Odesa and in other parts of Ukraine to discuss the difficulties of running these enterprises during the war.
"We heard that 92% of businesses in Ukraine are operating even in the midst of a grueling, devastating war. This is another tribute to resilience, but it is also an opportunity for American businesses in sectors such as defense, energy, and critical minerals. So there are great opportunities here," Kaine added.
In his turn, Senator Armstrong added that he was deeply impressed by the "innovation of the people, the resourcefulness that shows through in everything they do."
"Also, regarding energy infrastructure, we certainly watched how people here adapt to what we in the US completely take for granted – reliable power all the time. It is impressive how people here have adapted to this. But it also speaks to the tremendous opportunity that will exist here in Ukraine after the war to really think ahead and create a 'modern package' of energy infrastructure to make this country a great economy," he noted.
Senator Budd also emphasized the importance of American businesses continuing to operate in Ukraine despite the war and the risks.
"They are investing here and they understand the risks, but they are still here. Companies as famous as Coca-Cola, Ford Motor Company, and many others are part of the American Chamber of Commerce. They are working together on the resilience of their businesses to ensure the safety of their employees, so that they do an excellent job providing value to Ukrainians here, as well as helping with exports," he stressed.
