Ukraine's Zelenskyy tells Congress: 'We are united ... the entire free world'

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., made the case for more military aid for Ukraine on Wednesday as some in his party oppose sending more money to the nation.

"The reason that a big bipartisan majority of the American people and a big bipartisan majority in Congress support continuing to assist Ukraine is not primarily about inspiring speeches or desire to engage in philanthropy," McConnell said on the Senate floor.

"The most basic reasons for continuing to help Ukraine degrade and defeat the Russian invaders are cold, hard, practical, American interests," he continued. "Helping equip our friends in eastern Europe defeat this world is also a direct investment in reducing Putin's future capabilities to menace America, threaten our allies and contest our core interests."

But some in the GOP are questioning the amount of aid being sent to Ukraine, arguing the government should be investing that money domestically. "American taxpayers are literally paying to prop up many countries all over the world in foreign aid, but America is virtually crumbling before our eyes," Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene argued in a series of tweets on Wednesday.

Other Republicans argue the need for more oversight of the funds being approved for Ukraine, stating they don't want to write a "blank check" to Ukraine.

From the frontlines of the war in Ukraine to the political frontlines of Washington on Capitol Hill and the White House, Zelenskyy continues to take risks to defend Ukraine and show masterful skill at using language and symbolism to marshal international support.

"Remember Pearl Harbor. The morning of December 7, 1941, when your sky was black from the planes attacking you. Remember. Remember September 11. A terrible day in 2001 when people tried to turn your cities into battlefields. When innocent people were attacked from the air. No one expected it. You couldn't stop it," he said in his virtual speech to Congress in March.

"Our country experiences the same every day," he said.

Zelenskyy made an unannounced visit to the front-line city of Bakhmut on Monday, where Ukrainian and Russian forces have fought a months-long battle. The comedian-turned-politician who was elected to lead Ukraine in 2019, was named Time's person of the year earlier this month "for proving that courage can be as contagious as fear."

A U.S. official confirms to ABC News that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has landed in the U.S

-ABC News' Sarah Kolinovsky

Secretary of State Antony Blinken formally announced the authorization of a $1 billion drawdown package for Ukraine. He added that the Department of Defense will provide an additional $850 million in security assistance, bringing the total of this latest influx to $1.85 billion.

That brings the administration's military support for Ukraine to an "unprecedented" total of $21.9 billion, Blinken noted.

The latest round of military support includes a Patriot missile defense system and precision bomb kits that will turn dumb bombs into smart bombs guided by GPS coordinates toward their targets.

More information about the new weapons systems being sent to Ukraine can be read here.

Blinken's announcement comes as Congress is working to pass a bill that would provide $45 billion more in military, economic and humanitarian assistance.

-ABC News' Shannon Crawford