Ukraine’s first lady, Olena Zelenska, has turned down an invitation from US First Lady Jill Biden to attend Thursday’s (March 7) State of the Union address. Similarly, Yulia Navalnaya, the wife of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, who recently died in an Arctic prison, has also opted out of attending one of Washington’s most prestigious events.
A thwarted plan
According to sources familiar with the event’s planning, as reported by The Washington Post, the initial plan was to have the two women seated on either side of Jill Biden. This arrangement was intended to symbolize resistance to Russian President Vladimir Putin and provide a poignant backdrop to President Biden’s address to a joint session of Congress.
Reasons for cancellation
The potential presence of Navalnaya is believed to have caused discomfort to the Ukrainian delegation. This is due to Navalny’s past statements regarding Crimea being part of Russia, which have cast doubt on his legacy in Ukraine.
Despite Navalny later expressing support for Ukraine’s internationally recognized borders, many Ukrainians still view the Kremlin critic as out of sync with their objectives.
A White House official cited “schedule conflicts” as the reason for Zelenska’s decision and mentioned that the seating arrangement is typically finalized towards the end of the planning process.
Navalnaya also declined the invitation, citing exhaustion following her husband’s recent death.
Her spokesperson, Kira Yarmysh, remarked, “I think everyone forgets the circumstances under which the events unfolded.”
“Yulia’s husband died two weeks ago. She’s been traveling all this time. Today is the first day she’s been home at all. Like any human being, she needs time to recuperate, and so while she greatly appreciates the invitation, she needs to recover at least a little now,” she added.
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