But Navalnaya's potential presence has alarmed Ukrainians, people familiar with Kiev's deliberations said. Although her late husband is widely hailed as an anti-corruption icon and risked his life to oppose Putin, Navalny's legacy in Ukraine is clouded by previous statements that Crimea, which Putin annexed in 2014, belongs to Russia.
Although Navalny's views later evolved into support for Ukraine's 1991 internationally recognized borders, many Ukrainians view him as out of line with Kiev's goals.
“While in the West, we have always viewed him as someone who fought courageously and courageously against Putin, in Ukraine, Navalny is seen as aligning with the mentality of Russian nationalism and imperialism,” said Alena Polyakova, the organization's president. Center for European Policy Analysis, a think tank in Washington.
“Navalny opposed a large-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine, of course, but in 2014, when Russia first invaded Ukraine, he was very much in line with the general Russian view that Crimea is part of Russia’s historical territory,” Polyakova said.
A White House official said Zelenska's decision may have been due to a “scheduling conflict” and referred further questions to Zelenska's office, which did not respond to a request for comment.
The official added that the seating arrangement had not been finalized until recently.
Navalnaya also declined to attend Biden's speech, according to her spokeswoman, who cited fatigue as a factor.
Kira Yarmysh, Navalnaya's spokeswoman, said: “Yulia was indeed invited and thought about going, but I think everyone forgets the circumstances in which the events took place.” “Yulia's husband died two weeks ago. She's been traveling all this time. Today is the first day she's ever been home. Like any human being, she needs time to recover, so she appreciates this invitation very much, but she needs to recover a little now.” at least.
One U.S. official said the White House likely did not inform Kiev that Navalnaya had decided not to attend, though her presence was not the only concern for the Ukrainians, according to people familiar with the situation, who spoke like some others interviewed for this report. Anonymity requirement to describe private discussions.
Another issue for Kiev is seeking additional US security assistance, which is seen as closely aligned with Biden. The president has been Ukraine's main advocate, but the government of Zelenska's husband, President Volodymyr Zelensky, has sought to avoid further politicization of the war effort.
Right now, Ukraine is desperately seeking to pressure House Republicans to allow a vote on Biden's request for $60 billion in aid — a package that would-be Republican presidential nominee, Donald Trump, opposes. Facing the better-equipped Russian forces, Ukrainian artillery was running out of artillery, and it was losing strategic towns along the front lines.
While Ukraine is urging lawmakers to support the funding measure, it does not want to anger Republicans, who could control the White House next year depending on the outcome of the November election.
“Ukrainians are very sensitive to our internal political dynamics,” Polyakova said.
When Zelensky traveled to Washington in December, he took pains to present aid to Ukraine as a bipartisan issue. “He faced the same challenge of trying to walk a very fine line of not appearing too supportive of President Biden, even though of course he would have preferred Biden's agenda to arm and equip Ukraine,” she said.
In his remarks on Thursday, Biden is expected to urge House Republicans to pass funding for Ukraine “as quickly as possible,” a White House official said.
Each year, the First Lady invites a group of individuals to join her in the State of the Union address, and the President often mentions them in his speech when he highlights or promotes a particular policy or issue area.
The White House has announced none other than Kate Cox, a Dallas-area woman who traveled outside Texas to have an abortion due to the state's near-total ban on the procedure. Cox sought an abortion after learning that her fetus had a fatal genetic condition and that carrying the pregnancy to term could jeopardize her fertility in the future.
Last year, Jill Biden brought a number of guests, including Ukraine's ambassador to the United States, Oksana Markarova. Other guests included Paul Pelosi, husband of former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), a Holocaust survivor, a father who lost his daughter to a fentanyl overdose, and a cancer survivor.
Lawmakers are also bringing guests, and among those expected to attend this year are the parents of Ivan Gershkovich, a Wall Street Journal reporter detained in Russia. Others include the first person born through in vitro fertilization in the United States and the families of hostages held in the Gaza Strip.
Natalia Abakumova and Serhiy Morgunov contributed to this report.
