WATCH: Pentagon holds daily briefing as Zelenskyy visits Washington to meet with Biden

Pentagon press secretary Pat Ryder held a news briefing on Tuesday as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy appeals to leaders in Congress for U.S. aid for his fighters in the war with Russia.

Watch the briefing in the player above.

Zelenskyy’s visit to Washington came at a grim time, much changed from the hero’s welcome he received last year. President Joe Biden’s request for an additional $110 billion U.S. aid package for Ukraine, Israel and other national security needs is at serious risk of collapse in Congress as Republicans are insisting on linking it to strict U.S.-Mexico border security changes that Democrats decry.

Flanked by Democratic Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Republican Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, Zelenskyy entered a private meeting with senators with a public bipartisan show of support and to some applause. But more than an hour later few senators’ minds appeared changed.

Schumer called it a “very powerful” meeting, but gave no update on stalled negotiations.

WATCH: Biden, Zelenskyy hold briefing as Ukrainian president visits Washington to ask for aid

Next Zelenskyy visited the House leaders, including privately with new Speaker Mike Johnson, whose hard-right Republicans have been the most resistance to any deal. Johnson insisted afterward: “We do want to do the right thing here.”

The White House said the time was right for Zelenskyy’s trip to Washington as Biden pushes lawmakers approve the aid package before the year-end holidays. A top spokesman said the U.S. can’t let Ukraine aid lapse, especially as the Israel-Hamas war takes attention, and that the president was willing to make compromises with Republicans.

“This additional funding will absolutely help Ukraine claw back even more of their territory and kick the Russians right out of Ukraine,” said the White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby on NBC.

However, prospects for a congressional deal on Ukraine funding seemed all but out of reach.

Zelenskyy impressed on the senators that Ukraine could win the war against Russia, telling them he was drafting men in their 30s and 40s in a show of strength for the battle. In his trademark olive drab, he stood before a portrait of George Washington, history hanging behind him.