Kyiv Urges Congress to Pass Aid Package for Ukraine as Soon as Possible

The postponed US military aid to Kyiv raises the risk of Ukraine’s defeat in the war with Russia, the head of the Presidential Office of Ukraine, Andriy Yermak, said in a speech at the US Institute of Peace in Washington, DC, the Voice of America reports. “It will be difficult for us to hold on to the same positions and just survive,” he added. Yermak also emphasized that Ukraine has a military action plan for 2024. Yermak’s statement came amid renewed attempts by the White House on Monday to secure additional aid for Ukraine. In October, U.S. President Joe Biden sent a request to Congress to fund arms shipments and other assistance to Ukraine and Israel totaling $106 billion, of which Ukraine was to receive more than $60 billion. The House of Representatives, which is controlled by Republicans, approved a bill to give money to Israel but not Ukraine, after which Democrats blocked the document in the Senate. On Monday, White House Budget Office Director Shalanda Young sent a letter to House Speaker Mike Johnson and said the U.S. administration would run out of funds to supply Ukraine with arms and equipment by the end of the year. Young noted that without congressional approval of new funds to help Kyiv, Ukraine’s ability to fight against Russian forces will be impaired. Last night the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky canceled his speech before members of the U.S. Senate at the last moment. This was reported by the head of the Democratic majority in the Senate, Chuck Schumer. What exactly was the reason for which the President of Ukraine could not give a speech, Schumer did not specify. Earlier Western media wrote that Volodymyr Zelensky will address the senators at a secret briefing. It was planned that the Ukrainian leader will talk about the course of the war and the need for another package of military aid.