first question is what more do we know about why mr zelensky has cancelled? he know about why mr zelensky has cancelled? . , know about why mr zelensky has cancelled? ., , , ,.,, ., know about why mr zelensky has cancelled? ., , , ., , cancelled? he was supposed to be in that meeting — cancelled? he was supposed to be in that meeting around _ cancelled? he was supposed to be in that meeting around about _ cancelled? he was supposed to be in that meeting around about one - cancelled? he was supposed to be in that meeting around about one hour| that meeting around about one hour ago. more than one hour ago. invited by the senate majority leader chuck schumer to address senators, closed all meeting. but he has not turned up all meeting. but he has not turned up and we understand that he may address editors in the coming days, not quite sure yet. this vote due to take place tomorrow is no agreement has been made by both parties so there is a sense that the vote may not go ahead, or it may fail. so i think the way we can probably look at it is it may be a case of mr zelensky feeling it was a point addressing senators if the vote looks like it was going to go that way. and it may be, we don't know for sure, that the vote could happen next week. so mr zelensky may appear that next week. so that has been with the sense is here in washington.— with the sense is here in washington. with the sense is here in washinuton. ~ ., , , ., washington. where does this leave the conversation _ washington. where does this leave the conversation around _ washington. where does this leave the conversation around the - washington. where does this leave | the conversation around the request for more aid for ukraine ahead of that senate vote which is due tomorrow?— that senate vote which is due tomorrow? ~ ., , ., , , tomorrow? the white house has been reall blunt tomorrow? the white house has been really blunt about _ tomorrow? the white house has been really blunt about it. _ tomorrow? the white house has been really blunt about it. they _ tomorrow? the white house has been really blunt about it. they say - tomorrow? the white house has been really blunt about it. they say that - really blunt about it. they say that time is running out, eat is running out and that ukraine meets support otherwise it will, to quote a white house adviser, ukraine will be kneecaps if they do not get that support. president zelensky�*s chief of staff has also said that they need that aid because if they do not get it they will lose the war against russia. although there has been so much fighting it's worth remembering that the front line has remained pretty static. ukraine has not achieved some of the objectives or a lot of the objectives that it wants to. there are many lawmakers particularly republicans who support for ukraine has been feeding. more than $100 billion has been sent to ukraine and assistance since the war began and for many republicans, there is a sense of, well, we want to justify this money that has gone. we want a clear strategy, a clear plan. this package worth more than $160 billion is part of a national security package and other things are tied to it such as you mentioned there, bordersecurity are tied to it such as you mentioned there, border security policy changes and so issues like that have stormed to the funding at the moment. as i say for the democrat party certainly for president biden, this age is important, necessary and thatis this age is important, necessary and that is what president zelensky was expected to say in this address today to lawmakers. stat; with us. brian taylor, columnist at the herald newspaper in scotland, doug heye, former communications director of the republican national committee. doug, let's bring you and because you were also in washington, dc. are you were also in washington, dc. are you surprised by the news today that zelensky has now said he is not going to appear? i zelensky has now said he is not going to appear?— going to appear? i was in part because he — going to appear? i was in part because he is _ going to appear? i was in part because he is his _ going to appear? i was in part because he is his best - going to appear? i was in part. because he is his best advocate going to appear? i was in part - because he is his best advocate and he is _ because he is his best advocate and he is someone _ because he is his best advocate and he is someone who _ because he is his best advocate and he is someone who lawmakers - because he is his best advocate andj he is someone who lawmakers have responded — he is someone who lawmakers have responded to — he is someone who lawmakers have responded to when _ he is someone who lawmakers have responded to when he _ he is someone who lawmakers have responded to when he has - he is someone who lawmakers have responded to when he has come - he is someone who lawmakers have i responded to when he has come in and visited _ responded to when he has come in and visited with _ responded to when he has come in and visited with washington _ responded to when he has come in and visited with washington one _ responded to when he has come in and visited with washington one of - visited with washington one of the members — visited with washington one of the members to— visited with washington one of the members to visit _ visited with washington one of the members to visit ukraine - visited with washington one of the members to visit ukraine to - visited with washington one of the members to visit ukraine to see i visited with washington one of the l members to visit ukraine to see him directiy~ _ members to visit ukraine to see him directiy~ he — members to visit ukraine to see him directiy~ he is— members to visit ukraine to see him directly. he is his— members to visit ukraine to see him directly. he is his best _ members to visit ukraine to see him directly. he is his best advocate - directly. he is his best advocate and can— directly. he is his best advocate and can make _ directly. he is his best advocate and can make his— directly. he is his best advocate and can make his best - directly. he is his best advocate and can make his best case. - directly. he is his best advocate and can make his best case. asl directly. he is his best advocatel and can make his best case. as a republican. _ and can make his best case. as a republican. it— and can make his best case. as a republican, it does _ and can make his best case. as a republican, it does amaze - and can make his best case. as a republican, it does amaze me i and can make his best case. as a i republican, it does amaze me that and can make his best case. as a - republican, it does amaze me that he continues— republican, it does amaze me that he continues to _ republican, it does amaze me that he continues to have _ republican, it does amaze me that he continues to have to _ republican, it does amaze me that he continues to have to make _ republican, it does amaze me that he continues to have to make this - republican, it does amaze me that he continues to have to make this case . continues to have to make this case and that— continues to have to make this case and that so— continues to have to make this case and that so many— continues to have to make this case and that so many in— continues to have to make this case and that so many in my— continues to have to make this case and that so many in my party, - continues to have to make this case and that so many in my party, the l and that so many in my party, the party— and that so many in my party, the party of— and that so many in my party, the party of ronald _ and that so many in my party, the party of ronald reagan _ and that so many in my party, the party of ronald reagan who - and that so many in my party, the l party of ronald reagan who fought and that so many in my party, the - party of ronald reagan who fought to win the _ party of ronald reagan who fought to win the cold _ party of ronald reagan who fought to win the cold war— party of ronald reagan who fought to win the cold war are _ party of ronald reagan who fought to win the cold war are really— party of ronald reagan who fought to win the cold war are really sending. win the cold war are really sending signals— win the cold war are really sending signals that — win the cold war are really sending signals that putin _ win the cold war are really sending signals that putin views _ win the cold war are really sending signals that putin views positively i signals that putin views positively at the _ signals that putin views positively at the moment _ signals that putin views positively at the moment. the _ signals that putin views positively at the moment. the issue - signals that putin views positively at the moment. the issue of- signals that putin views positively l at the moment. the issue of border security— at the moment. the issue of border security is— at the moment. the issue of border security is an — at the moment. the issue of border security is an important _ at the moment. the issue of border security is an important one. - security is an important one. obviously— security is an important one. obviously were _ security is an important one. obviously were talking - security is an important one. obviously were talking about security is an important one. - obviously were talking about that with the _ obviously were talking about that with the issues _ obviously were talking about that with the issues at _ obviously were talking about that with the issues at the _ obviously were talking about that with the issues at the uk - obviously were talking about that with the issues at the uk facing . with the issues at the uk facing right— with the issues at the uk facing right now— with the issues at the uk facing right now with— with the issues at the uk facing right now with for— with the issues at the uk facing right now with for wanda. - with the issues at the uk facing right now with for wanda. and i with the issues at the uk facingl right now with for wanda. and it with the issues at the uk facing. right now with for wanda. and it is something — right now with for wanda. and it is something that _ right now with for wanda. and it is something that congress - right now with for wanda. and it is something that congress should i something that congress should address— something that congress should address and _ something that congress should address and has _ something that congress should address and has failed - something that congress should address and has failed to - something that congress should . address and has failed to address. clearly— address and has failed to address. clearly funding _ address and has failed to address. clearly funding for— address and has failed to address. clearly funding for ukraine - address and has failed to address. clearly funding for ukraine is - clearly funding for ukraine is something _ clearly funding for ukraine is something critical— clearly funding for ukraine is something critical for- clearly funding for ukraine is| something critical for ukraine clearly funding for ukraine is - something critical for ukraine and to the _ something critical for ukraine and to the west — something critical for ukraine and to the west and _ something critical for ukraine and to the west and nato _ something critical for ukraine and to the west and nato right - something critical for ukraine and to the west and nato right now. something critical for ukraine and l to the west and nato right now and if we fail— to the west and nato right now and if we fail to— to the west and nato right now and if we fail to protect _ to the west and nato right now and if we fail to protect ukraine, - to the west and nato right now and if we fail to protect ukraine, then i if we fail to protect ukraine, then we know— if we fail to protect ukraine, then we know what— if we fail to protect ukraine, then we know what the _ if we fail to protect ukraine, then we know what the consequencesl if we fail to protect ukraine, then - we know what the consequences could be moving _ we know what the consequences could be moving forward. _ we know what the consequences could be moving forward. let’s _ we know what the consequences could be moving forward.— be moving forward. let's bring brian in. be moving forward. let's bring brian in- something _ be moving forward. let's bring brian in. something that _ be moving forward. let's bring brian in. something that has _ be moving forward. let's bring brian in. something that hasjust - be moving forward. let's bring brian in. something that hasjust come i be moving forward. let's bring brian in. something that hasjust come in | in. something that hasjust come in saying that republican congressional leaders insisted that any new aid for ukraine be combined with major changes in immigration policy. we saw a bit of back—and—forth when it came to the former speaker of the houseis came to the former speaker of the house is well over this and having writers and conditions on funding being approved. the writers and conditions on funding being approved-— writers and conditions on funding being approved. the question at the root of all of — being approved. the question at the root of all of it _ being approved. the question at the root of all of it is _ being approved. the question at the root of all of it is security. _ being approved. the question at the root of all of it is security. it - being approved. the question at the root of all of it is security. it is - root of all of it is security. it is compassion— root of all of it is security. it is compassion fatigue with regard to ukraine _ compassion fatigue with regard to ukraine perhaps a willingness of zelensky— ukraine perhaps a willingness of zelensky returning get again for more _ zelensky returning get again for more funding and one understands from his— more funding and one understands from his perspective, understands entirely— from his perspective, understands entirely white he cannot put a price on defending democracy. he is trying to warn— on defending democracy. he is trying to warn americans and senate members and house _ to warn americans and senate members and house members in particular. but unless— and house members in particular. but unless there _ and house members in particular. but unless there is a degree of funding given— unless there is a degree of funding given to _ unless there is a degree of funding given to ukraine, russia will win. do they— given to ukraine, russia will win. do they want that to happen? because as he puts _ do they want that to happen? because as he puts it, putin would not stop there _ as he puts it, putin would not stop there he _ as he puts it, putin would not stop there he would carry on. so you compassion— there he would carry on. so you compassion fatigue with ukraine, you have minds— compassion fatigue with ukraine, you have minds being diverted to the dreadful— have minds being diverted to the dreadful crisis in the middle east and then— dreadful crisis in the middle east and then that third issue of security— and then that third issue of security and that is america's on border— security and that is america's on border security and some republicans arguing _ border security and some republicans arguing that that is where the focus should _ arguing that that is where the focus should be — arguing that that is where the focus should be. partly because they believe — should be. partly because they believe that it is a critically important issue also presumably because — important issue also presumably because they see ukraine funding as possible _ because they see ukraine funding as possible lever to pry some concessions on the domestic issue. how much — concessions on the domestic issue. how much is — concessions on the domestic issue. how much is the scene as a big election issue as we head closely to an election year? by, election issue as we head closely to an election year?— an election year? a really good oint an election year? a really good point because _ an election year? a really good point because you _ an election year? a really good point because you know- an election year? a really good point because you know being l an election year? a really good. point because you know being in an election year? a really good - point because you know being in dc that this is a very liberal city, obviously, people here largely in line with president biden's view of supporting ukraine. chuck schumer said that america's national security is on the line. president biden has made the argument that what happens abroad and in places like ukraine matters to the american people. so in cities like washington, dc that is an easy narrative to sell. in other parts of america, it is not the main issue for a lot of americans. we know the foreign policy does not, is not the number one issue for people it is domestic issues. a lot of the polls certainly at the start of the war showed huge support for the war in ukraine, support for helping ukraine in the waragainst ukraine, support for helping ukraine in the war against russia. that support i think has dwindled over the last year or so. it has softened in places. but for the most part, i think president biden still has the support in helping abroad but now with the crates in the middle east, now two wars that america is helping with, helping countries with. so there is a sense from a lot of american viewers that anecdotally americans cannot do both things. at the moment, no sign of president biden changing his position on that. politics changes and then policy changes. at the moment i would say that president biden's message is, it is important to many americans, what is happening in ukraine. i will be nau:h what is happening in ukraine. i will be naughty and _ what is happening in ukraine. i will be naughty and ask _ what is happening in ukraine. i will be naughty and ask you about something you may not know about yet which is as a former correspondent people hate, however it has just come in that president biden, speaking to pull reporters off said, if donald trump was not running, i'm not sure i would be running, but we cannot let him win. i don't know if you have heard that. it looks like it is news to you as well. what you make of that will last the panel as well. �* , . , , well. it's really interesting because one _ well. it's really interesting because one of _ well. it's really interesting because one of the - well. it's really interesting - because one of the arguments that president biden made at the time when she was running in the race was that he was running against donald trump. he had an opportunity to run and he has tried to run for president before, but interesting that he has said that. you know there is a lot of questions being asked now about president biden's age and whether or not he should be running. if you remember, mitt romney, when he announced his retirement a couple of months ago, i asked him and he said he is retiring because he is getting to that age now and i asked, should president biden and it donald trump be running and he said, no, neithershould be running. so so many conversation about president biden's age and perhaps he is making that point in a way of trying to justify why he is running. i'm not sure. interesting that he has made the comment. serra; that he has made the comment. sorry to bu ou that he has made the comment. sorry to bug you on — that he has made the comment. sorry to bug you on the _ that he has made the comment. sorry to bug you on the spot _ that he has made the comment. sorry to bug you on the spot but _ that he has made the comment. sorry to bug you on the spot but election year looms quickly. we don't hav