Zelenskyy made a secret phone call to Mitch McConnell urging him to pass a provision that would give

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

Ukraine the seized fortunes of Russian oligarchs

Following Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's historic visit to the US last week, Congress passed a provision to give Ukraine the assets that were seized from sanctioned Russian oligarchs.

The approval of the measure may have had something to do with a secret phone call between Zelenskyy and Sen. Mitch McConnell, according to The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. The outlet reported Thursday that the Ukrainian president called the Senate minority leader one day before his White House visit and address to Congress.

Three unnamed sources told the Post-Gazette about the call, in which Zelenskyy attempted to persuade McConnell that proceeds from the oligarchs' seized assets, including superyachts and mansions, should be used to help Ukraine rebuild from the devastation of the war.

The provision ultimately passed as an amendment to the $1.7 trillion bipartisan spending bill that passed the Senate in a 68-29 vote on December 22 and passed the House the following day. The bill also included $45 billion in emergency assistance to Ukraine.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/zelenskyy-made-a-secret-phone-call-to-mitch-mcconnell-urging-him-to-pass-a-provision-that-would-give-ukraine-the-seized-fortunes-of-russian-oligarchs-report/ar-AA15NCvr

[mahina]

1. Great!

It’s going to cost a lot to rebuild.

[Cha]

2. Wow.. I'm in Awe of Zelensky and

all he does for Ukraine!

Thank Goodness it Passed!

[LymphocyteLover]

10. He is an amazing leader

[Lucinda]

31. ❤️ ✿❧🌿❧✿ ❤️

[bucolic_frolic]

3. Legacy Cold Warrior hidden in Mitch

[Volaris]

26. Well if the magats didn't hate him before, they sure as hell will now...

[PlutosHeart]

28. Zelenskyy probably knows

how to appeal to the inner narcissist in Mitch. Lots of "strokes" and standing strong. Mitch might like to say he helped with that'd interacted with a positive historical figure.

[orangecrush]

39. This

[Lovie777]

4. K & R ....

He loves his people and the country.

[48656c6c6f20]

5. Wonder.. Did he have something on turtle man?

How involved was mitchy in the call to Zalenskyy when trump was trying to string arm Ukraine?

[2naSalit]

13. Gotta wonder.

[mitch96]

25. I just hope there is no kick back action going on behind the scenes... Campaigns are expensive

[PortTack]

6. Turtle...the man we all love to hate is all in on aide for Ukraine and pushes back hard against those

That think otherwise. He said on the senate floor that russia is America’s enemy and it serves American interests to weaken the russian war machine.

[enid602]

7. Mitch

Wonder what Mitch’s cut is. What does Elaine get out of it?

[brewens]

15. The money goes to the weapons manufacturers and many donate to Mr. Turtlehead.

https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=turtlehead

[AllyCat]

29. Mitch has been around since the Cold War?

[mwooldri]

33. Probably since the Crimea War.

Yes, he's old.

But I also think he wants to get rid of his "Moscow Mitch" moniker as that really does get under his skin. So to be seen to be Anti-Putin in his eyes is a good thing.

I'll applaud Republicans for doing the right thing. Probably grumble about it too.

[AllyCat]

35. Well, good on him. Wonder if even he is sorry

For the direction the republicans are going.

[ShazzieB]

40. The Cold War officially ended on December 26, 1991.

So yeah, he's been around that long.

I was around then, too. I'll never forget watching people literally smashing the Berlin Wall into pieces on CNN. It was electrifying.

[AllyCat]

42. I think I worded my post poorly. It was more...

“Mitch HAS been around since the Cold War”

[ShazzieB]

43. Got it! 😉

[zuul]

8. Why would Ze call McTurtle?

He is the minority leader now and he will still be the minority leader in the next session. Why does he need the turtle?

[rurallib]

9. maybe because of Manchin and Sinema?

[Mad_Machine76]

17. Maybe

To help keep the Republican caucus in line?

[ShazzieB]

41. Exactly.

If Zelensky knows anything about American politics, he'd know the Dems were going to vote or it, but Repub votes would be needed, too. The latter is Mitch's department.

[Kennah]

19. To tell him, "I can hit Moscow, so I can flip you on your back"

[2naSalit]

12. K&R

[NBachers]

14. Yesterday I was rooting for John Bolton; today I am complimenting Mitch McConnell.

Strange Days have found us

Strange Days have tracked us down.

[PatSeg]

38. Very strange days indeed

I never thought I'd give McConnell or Bolton credit for anything.

[femmedem]

16. Side note, but a large number of Ukranian Jews settled in Pittsburgh in the early 20th century.

My great great grandfather was president of the Pliskover Free Loan Association, a benevolent society set up by people who emigrated from the shtetl Pliskover. (Nearly the whole shtetl came to Pittsburgh.) Members visited the sick, started a cemetery, supported Jewish causes and provided interest-free loans.

I wonder if the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette ran with the story because of Pittsburgh's Ukrainian Jewish community.

[70sEraVet]

18. Might be interesting to look into the background of some of the staff at the Post-Gazette

You might find some distant cousins there!

[femmedem]

20. True!

I still have distant relatives there!

[70sEraVet]

23. My ancestors came from a small shtetl in what is today Slovakia.

This past summer I met (only over telephone and email so far) a distant cousin. Exciting to discover how small the world is. Also painful to realize how cruel the world can be. Because when you meet the descendants of the ones who survived ...

[femmedem]

27. You're so lucky to have been able to connect with your relative!

Well, I'm sure it was more intentional than luck. What I wouldn't give to have a fuller understanding of my ancestors' history. I can't believe that I'm learning about my great grandmother "Anna" or sometimes "Hannah" from Ancestry.com, city directories and census records instead of from her directly. Of course, she is long gone, but my parents and I saw her every year or so until I was ten or eleven. I remember drinking tea in her kitchen; I remember her Yiddish accent, her dyed red hair, and I would have remembered any stories she told me if only I had asked for any.

But yes. I'm sure some of the stories she could have relayed would have been chilling.

[70sEraVet]

30. So was your great grandmother or her parents in this photo?

https://www.pliskover.com/showphoto.php?val=1

[femmedem]

32. I'll bet one of the men is my great great grandfather Morris Rosen!

I hadn't seen this photo before! Thank you so much!

It's hard to tell from the one photo I've seen, but I bet he's one of the men in a suit in the front. Morris, aka Moishe Rosinsky, was one of the founders and president for seventeen years. He and one other man bought the land for the cemetery and then donated it to the Pliskover Association.

Here is his obituary: https://imgur.com/a/SGXaFzh

My great-grandfather was his son Nathan. He died before I was born but Anna or Hannah (I only knew her as Bubby) was his wife.

[70sEraVet]

34. I'll bet there's someone at the Pliskover Association who knows the names of people

in that photo. That Association should be a great resource. Given the importance of your great, great grandfather, Im sure they'd be glad to help!

Nice getting to know you a bit.

[femmedem]

36. Likewise!

And if you ever want to share more about your family history, message me any time.

[myohmy2]

21. wow...

...putin and the boys along with the MAGAt's are not going to be happy...

...moscow mitch may have some splaining to do...

...I don't know, with friends like the turtle.....

...

[paleotn]

22. All frozen assets....

of the Russian Federation and its citizens should be given to Ukraine. All of it.

[MagickMuffin]

24. MoscowMitch better stay away from windows

Tea, and airplanes!

[peppertree]

37. Or rent boys

Russian assassins have been known to pose as prostitutes.