LONDON: The European Union’s foreign policy chief has asked the US lawmakers to review their decision to drop financial assistance for Ukraine from a budget bill that Congress passed to avert a federal government shutdown, Western media reported on Sunday.
The bill passed Saturday to keep the federal government running until November 17 omitted provisions on giving additional aid to Ukraine.
Talking to reporters in Kyiv after holding a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, the EU’s top diplomat, Josep Borrell, said European officials were astonished by the development in Washington. He said that the US has already committed assistance to the 27-nation bloc to help Ukraine defeat Russia.
Borrell hoped Ukraine would continue to enjoy US support
Borrell hoped that it would not be a final decision and that Ukraine would continue to enjoy the US support.
He added that Ukrainians are fighting with courage and full capacities and if Europe and its allies want to see them successful, they have to be provided them better arms and equipment.
Ukrainian officials also are of the view that US support for Ukraine should continue despite the stop-gap legislation.
Andriy Yermak, the head of Ukraine’s presidential office, said that US ties with Ukraine had not changed and that Ukrainian officials regularly meet regularly with US lawmakers from both political parties.
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The dropping of additional Ukrainian aid from the package has raised many in Kyiv, which depends heavily on Western financial aid and military equipment in its war against Russia.
Last week Zelensky told US lawmakers that additional aid would be of extreme importance for continuing the fight.
The Ukrainian Defense Ministry has reported that over the weekend, Russian shelling has targeted 11 regions of Ukraine.
