Ukraine Military Aid Crisis: Zelensky Urges US Congress Approval

2024-04-07 14:22:24

World News: A Ukrainian soldier fires Grad missiles

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky warned on Sunday that Kiev would lose to Russia unless the US Congress approves a military aid package allocated to it.
“We must specifically tell Congress that if Congress does not help Ukraine, then Ukraine will lose,” he said during a video meeting of the “United24” fundraising platform supervised by Kiev.
The administration of US President Joe Biden requested a military aid package worth $60 billion. But the House of Representatives, controlled by Republicans, refused to approve the package.
Yesterday, Saturday, the Ukrainian president warned that the Ukrainian air defense systems might run out of missiles if the current pace of attacks continued.
He added, in an interview broadcast on Ukrainian television, “If daily strikes continue (against Ukraine) in the same way as over the past month, our missiles may run out. Our partners are aware of this.”
He pointed out that his country does not have enough ammunition to launch a counterattack, but he explained that Kiev has begun receiving some from its defense partners.
Zelensky emphasized, “We do not have missiles to launch a counterattack. As for defense, there are several initiatives, and we are receiving weapons.”
The Ukrainian president said that his country is waiting for a large, much-needed aid package from the United States, and that he still believes that Congress will approve it.
He explained, “I still believe that the US Congress will vote in our favor.”
Zelensky announced that his country would approve the US aid package if it came in the form of a loan.
He added, in the interview, “We will agree to any options,” noting that the most important thing is that aid “the faster it arrives, the better.”
On Thursday, the Ukrainian president appealed to US House of Representatives Speaker Mike Johnson to approve a “vital” military aid program for his country.
Zelensky, who spoke by phone with this official, said, “I briefed Speaker Johnson on the situation on the battlefield.”