Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Friday thanked U.S. President Joe Biden for the prospect of a new multi-billion dollar aid package from Washington.
Biden, in a rare address from the Oval Office on Thursday night, said he would be asking Congress for a new round of funding for Ukraine as part of a larger request that also includes aid to Israel.
U.S. media reported that Biden would ask for 100 billion U.S. dollars in total, about 60 billion U.S. dollars of which was designated for Ukraine.
The White House said details on the proposal would be made public on Friday – but whether it can get through the deeply dysfunctional U.S. Congress remains an open question.
The House of Representatives remains without a speaker, amid bitter in-fighting among Republicans.
Earlier this month the only way Congress could avert a government shutdown was by dropping Ukraine aid from a short-term funding bill.
Still, Zelensky struck an optimistic tone.
“Ukraine is grateful for all the U.S. support and its unfaltering belief that humanism, freedom, independence and rules-based international order must always triumph,” he posted on social media.
“The unwavering bipartisan support for Ukraine in the United States is incredibly encouraging for all of our warriors and for our entire nation.
“America’s investment in Ukraine’s defence would ensure long-term security for all of Europe and the world,” he said.
But Republicans are increasingly resistant to allocating more money for Kiev, saying the U.S. must prioritise its own military needs and that Congress cannot deliver a blank cheque to Ukraine.
