Ukraine's First Lady and Alexei Navalny's widow both turn down White House invitations to Biden's State of the Union address

Olena Zelenska, Ukraine's first lady, turned down an invitation from the White House to attend Thursday's State of the Union address, dashing President Joe Biden's dreams of seating her next to Alexi Navalvny's widow in a show of force against Russia.

The White House intended to place Zelenska and Yulia Navalnaya, the widow of murdered Russian opposition leader, in Jill Biden's box on the night of the president's prime time address.

The plan was to use the women as powerful image against Russian President Vladimir Putin, coming at a time when Biden wants Congress to approve more aid for the Ukraine.

Olena Zelenska, Ukraine's first lady, with President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden at the White House in July 2022 - Zelenska turned down an invitation to the State of the Union speech

But the idea Navalnaya could be there caused discomfort for the Ukrainians, sources told the Washington Post. 

In the Ukraine, Alexei Navalny's legacy is shadowed by his past statements that the Crimea, which Putin annexed in 2014, belonged to Russia.

Alexei Navalny later changed his thinking and supported Ukraine's borders.

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre confirmed Biden invited Yulia Navalnaya when he met with her and her daughter in San Francisco last month.

Navalnaya ultimately turned down the invitation, citing exhaustion.

'Yulia was indeed invited and considered going, but I think everyone forgets the circumstances against which the events unfolded,' said Navalnaya spokeswoman Kira Yarmysh. 

'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 recover, and so while she very much appreciates the invitation, she needs to recover at least a little now.'

Olena Zelenska's office cited a scheduling conflict. 

'Due to scheduled events, including a planned visit to Kyiv with children from an orphanage, the First Lady, unfortunately, won't be able to participate in the event,' her office said.

President Joe Biden hugs Yulia Navalnaya when he meets with her in San Francisco, Navalnaya ultimately turned down his invitation to the State of the Union address

Yulia Navalnaya with husband Alexi Navalny

But Ukraine has also got enveloped into Washington's political drama. 

House Republicans have yet to vote on a bipartisan security passage - approved by the Senate - that includes $60 billion in aid for war torn country. 

Ukrainian officials are lobbying Speaker Mike Johnson and his GOP lawmakers to approve the bill, which is opposed by Donald Trump.

They may not want to offend the Republicans by placing their first lady with Jill Biden.

Ukrainian forces are running out of ammunition as they fight off Russian forces. During his prime time address, Biden is expected to urge Congress to quickly pass the aid package.

The president has played coy about what else he will address in his State of the Union speech. 

'You'll hear me on Thursday,' he said when reporters asked him about his preparations. 

The underlying message will be politics. Even if Biden doesn't mention Donald Trump by name, the upcoming rematch between the two men will be an undercurrent of the night.

Biden is expected to take a more aggressive stance against Trump, who has essentially wrapped up the Republican nomination.

The president is also expected to address the war between Israel and Hamas, abortion rights, trade, immigration and China.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and his wife Olena Zelenska

As for the first lady's box, the most prominent perch in the House chamber, the White House has only announced one guest: Kate Cox. 

The state of Texas denied Cox's request for an abortion after she learned her fetus had a fatal diagnosis as the result of a rare chromosomal disorder. 

Biden and Democrats are using the abortion issue to rally their base after it was a successful battle cry for the party in the 2022 midterm election, where their candidates outperformed better than expected, largely thanks to abortion right issues on the ballot.  

Kate Cox was the first pregnant adult to sue for the right to terminate her pregnancy after the Supreme Court struck down Roe v. Wade. Ultimately, the Texas Supreme Court ruled Cox would not have qualified to have an abortion under the medical exception to the state's abortion laws.

Abortions were banned in Texas after the Supreme Court ruling in June 2022. Cox traveled out of state to obtain one. Her lawyers noted Cox's own health was at increased risk if she carried the fetus to term. 

Donald Trump has taken credit for the Supreme Court's decision and has said he's considering a nation-wide 15-week ban on abortions.