LEILA FADEL, HOST:
For more on what life is like in the capital Kyiv right now, we reach Lesya Zaburanna. She told me Christmas plans pushed ahead despite near-constant Russian missile and drone attacks.
LESYA ZABURANNA: Well, unfortunately, a lot of areas and a lot of districts in Kyiv just now have only three hours of electricity per day.
FADEL: Zaburanna is a wife, a mother and a member of Ukraine's Parliament. Over the years since Russia's full-scale invasion, she's taken part in many delegations to the U.S., trips aimed at convincing lawmakers in Congress to give more weapons, money and aid to Ukraine. So I asked her, since President Trump has pulled so much support from Ukraine, what have her conversations been like with members of the Republican Party?
ZABURANNA: When I was in D.C. in the beginning of 2025, in February, when we met the representatives of Republican Party, they were more supportive only to the policy of new administration, and they told us that we need also to find the solution with new administration. But now a lot of congressmen, a lot of senators from Republican Party, they are ready to collaborate with our government, with our Parliament. And they are more independent.
FADEL: They're more independent from the president in their views of how to deal with Ukraine.
ZABURANNA: Yes. From administration, yes.
FADEL: Was there any conversation or moment with any particular lawmaker that stood out to you that illustrates what you described to me?
ZABURANNA: Yes. And actually, during my participation in intelligence forum in Washington, D.C., two weeks ago, I met with Senator Tallis (ph), Republican Party.
FADEL: You're referring to Senator Thom Tillis?
ZABURANNA: Yes.
FADEL: OK.
ZABURANNA: And we continue to discuss sanctions pressure. We continue to discuss military support and what is the most important for us. We asked about the security guarantees, and a security treaty with Ukraine ratified by U.S. Senate would create a long-term obligation under American law. And this is very important for our country.
FADEL: So you see your partners in Congress as more independent and maybe people that could take a different path than the current administration?
ZABURANNA: Yes.
FADEL: And, you know, this Christmas week, when you speak to Americans about why this is important to them, what would your message be to them about what Ukraine is going through and why it matters to Americans?
ZABURANNA: First of all, I would like to say that I am a mother and a lawmaker. And my job is to make sure that the world my child grows up in is governed by ruth, not by brute force. And Ukraine is not just fighting for itself now, because if we will not stop aggressor together, NATO countries could face with Russian aggression in the nearest future. And most of the support to Ukraine is spent in the USA in American factories, creating American jobs. But in any case, we highly appreciate all that military and financial support.
FADEL: This is the third Christmas that Ukraine has endured in the midst of war, a full-scale Russian invasion. How has celebrating this holiday shifted and changed for you and your family?
ZABURANNA: Now I think we feel all these holidays even more strong than ever before, because every day, we are thinking not about our long-term future. We are thinking even for every night, every day, do we alive, do we exist. And it's very difficult from one point of view, but from other point of view, your understanding of independence, of freedom, of your country is much stronger than ever been before.
FADEL: That's Ukrainian parliamentarian Lesya Zaburanna joining us from Kyiv. Thank you so much for your time.
ZABURANNA: Thank you so much. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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