Trump alleges that Zelenskyy disrespected him; House GOP to investigate Zelenskyy's PA visit.

• Rep. James Comer, the House Oversight Committee Chair, launched an investigation into Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's visit to an ammunition factory in Scranton, Pennsylvania with three Democrats, two of whom are running for reelection in November.
• The trip was claimed by Comer to be a campaign event for Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris, and was funded using taxpayer resources.
• On Wednesday, the relationship between Kyiv and former president Donald Trump cooled down even more when the Republican Party's candidate accused Zelenskyy of making "disparaging remarks" about him.
• Nine House Republicans have demanded a full investigation into the use of U.S. military assets and federal resources in relation to the visit.

James Comer, the House Oversight Chair, is launching an investigation into Zelenskyy's visit to an ammunition factory in Scranton, Pennsylvania, on Sunday. Comer alleges that the trip was aimed at campaigning for Vice President Kamala Harris' presidential bid and was funded using taxpayer resources.

The investigation into the Republicans is happening as Zelenskyy and former president Trump's relationship appears to deteriorate.

On Wednesday, Trump accused Zelenskyy of insulting him by saying that the Ukrainian president was "making nasty little dispersions toward" him. Trump also stated that he got along with Russian President Vladimir Putin "very well."

Trump stated that there is nothing for Ukrainian people to return to, and the situation didn't have to occur. The buildings and cities have been destroyed, and they are gone. Despite this, we continue to provide billions of dollars to a man who refuses to make a deal, according to Trump, while speaking at a plumbing parts manufacturer in Mint Hill, North Carolina.

Zelenskyy is in New York to attend the UN General Assembly high-level week and meet with world leaders. He also plans to visit the White House on Thursday to meet with President Joe Biden and, later in the day, with Harris.

The meeting between Trump and the Ukrainian President, scheduled for Thursday at Trump Tower, has been canceled, according to a Trump campaign official who spoke to NBC News. The source attributed the cancellation to Zelenskyy's New Yorker interview.

In a New Yorker interview on Sunday, Zelenskyy stated that Trump's running mate, Ohio Sen. JD Vance, was "too radical" and his message "seems to be that Ukraine must make a sacrifice" in order to end the war with Russia.

In a press conference on Wednesday, Vance stated that everything would be discussed in negotiations regarding Ukraine ceding land in exchange for a ceasefire with Russia.

Zelenskyy's comments about Trump's running mate were criticized by Comer in his letter, which also criticized the timing of the visit.

Zelenskyy visited an ammunition factory that produces crucial components for 155 mm artillery shells, which the United States has shipped more than 3 million rounds of to Ukraine since February 2022, according to a Pentagon fact sheet from July 2024.

The Defense Department declared on Wednesday that it would provide an additional $375 million in security aid to Ukraine, including more of the 155 mm artillery shells that the Scranton factory produces.

On Sunday, Zelenskyy wrote that he started his trip to the US by thanking the plant workers and striking deals to enhance collaboration between Pennsylvania and Zaporizhzhia.

Zelenskyy met with three Pennsylvania Democrats, including Governor Shapiro, Senator Casey, and Rep. Cartwright. All three are running for reelection in November.

Senator Casey praised the Scranton Army Ammunition Plant's contribution to Ukraine's forces and thanked Pennsylvania workers for their efforts in defending democracy during a visit with President Zelenskyy. He condemned any attempts to discredit his visit to the Commonwealth as an insult and a disgrace.

The governor's office and Cartwright's campaign did not respond to a request for comment on the investigation.

In 2019, the Democrat-controlled House impeached President Trump for abuse of power, alleging he tried to use a foreign leader to aid his 2020 campaign, despite no evidence of wrongdoing.

The impeachment inquiry into Trump included a 30-minute phone call between Trump and Zelenskyy in 2019, during which Trump asked Zelenskyy to investigate the activities of his then rival President Joe Biden and his son Hunter.

The Biden-Harris Administration recently flew Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on an American-taxpayer-funded flight to Pennsylvania, a battleground state in the upcoming 2024 presidential election, which has been described as the 'trickiest battleground for Vice President Kamala Harris to win," Comer continued.

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, Attorney General Merrick Garland, and White House Counsel Edward Siskel received letters from Comer requesting more information on government resources used for and all internal and external communications regarding the trip.

On Wednesday, Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson wrote a sternly worded letter to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, requesting that he recall Ukraine's Ambassador to the United States, Oksana Markarova, who helped organize Johnson's trip to Scranton.

"Johnson wrote that the tour was a partisan campaign event aimed at helping Democrats and was election interference, causing Republicans to lose trust in Ambassador Markarova's ability to serve as a diplomat in the country."

Nine House Republicans sent a letter to the Department of Justice Inspector General and the Department of Defense Inspector General, requesting a thorough investigation into the utilization of U.S. military assets and federal resources during the visit.

In the letter, the Republicans suggest that Zelenskyy may have traveled to Scranton on a U.S. Air Force plane and received Secret Service protection.

The ambivalence of Trump regarding U.S. support for Ukraine has been a source of controversy and criticism from both Democrats and some Republicans, with several Republicans citing it as a reason for endorsing Harris over him.

On Wednesday, Biden announced his administration's continued support for Ukraine and stated that he would reveal more actions to aid Ukraine's military on Thursday.