Ukraine says will receive US military aid 'immediately' after Congress approval

By Iclal Turan

WASHINGTON (AA) - Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said Thursday that his country will receive US military support immediately after a long-awaited aid package is approved by the US House of Representatives this week.

Speaking to a group of reporters at the Ukrainian Embassy in Washington, Shmyhal said the package will soon be supported by the US House of Representatives and the Senate, and Ukraine will receive American military and financial aid "as fast as possible."

He said Ukraine received assurances of support for the aid package by both political parties, adding that he is optimistic the package will be approved by both the House and Senate soon.

Noting that he held meetings with US officials, including at the White House, he said: "They promised us that support will be supplied into Ukraine immediately. So it will take weeks not months."

Shmyhal visited Washington to meet officials of World Bank, IMF and the US leadership.

"We were reassured that the support of Ukraine continues and to be a priority," he said, adding that Russia is destroying Ukraine’s civilian and energy infrastructure and that is why Ukraine asked for air defense systems, particularly Patriots.

The US House of Representatives is expected to vote on a $95.3 billion package of bills, and will send it to the Senate. President Joe Biden pledged to sign the bills immediately upon approval.

The package includes $61 billion in funding for Ukraine, with $26.3 billion to support Israel and US military operations in the region, and more than $8 billion to support US partners in the Indo-Pacific region, including Taiwan.

It would also allow nearly $9.1 billion for humanitarian efforts in Ukraine, Israel, and Gaza.

More than 50 billion of the $61 billion funding for Ukraine is for defense and will be spent in the US to be paid to American producers of military equipment and ammunition, Shmyhal said.