Ukraine ambassador to join Jill Biden at State of Union

Ukrainian ambassador to the U.S. Oksana Markarova will be among first lady Jill Biden’s guests for President Bien’s State of the Union address on Tuesday evening.  

The speech will take place with Russia’s war against Ukraine as a backdrop, and increased fears that Russian President Vladimir Putin is ready to step up attacks on the neighboring country.

The decision to host Markarova reflects a desire by the White House to show solidarity with Ukraine as it pushes back against the invasion.

Lawmakers in both parties have rallied behind Ukraine, as President Biden has helped organize a set of international sanctions on Putin and the Kremlin that increasingly are choking the Russian economy.

Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen is another notable guest of Jill Biden’s for the Tuesday night speech, President Biden’s first State of the Union address.  

“Each of these individuals, with their resilience, innovation, service, and courage, were chosen by the White House because they represent policies or themes to be addressed by the President in his speech,” the White House said in the announcement. 

The list of guests also includes Intel CEO Pat Gelsinger; 13-year old diabetes advocate Joshua Davis; Ohio nurse Refynd Duro; longtime United Steelworkers member Joseph “JoJo” Burgess; and Melissa Isaac, a member of the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe who works for Michigan Department of Education’s Indigenous Education Initiative. 

The first lady will also be accompanied by Danielle Robinson, the widow of the late Sergeant First Class Heath Robinson, who raised awareness about environmental hazards and burn pits before he died in 2020; and Kezia Rodriguez, a mother of twins and student at Bergen Community College.  

Second gentleman Doug Emhoff and Valerie Biden Owens, the president’s sister, will also be seated with Jill Biden in the first lady’s viewing box.  

The first lady’s guests are in keeping with tradition for the annual presidential speech.  

Biden is expected to address the conflict in his speech and also talk about his economic agenda the battle against the coronavirus pandemic.