Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy told the speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives on Thursday that it was vital for Congress to pass a new military aid package for Kyiv rapidly in order to maintain international unity on the conflict with Russia, Reuters reports.
Republican Speaker Mike Johnson has held up a bill for months that would supply $60 billion in military and financial aid for Ukraine.
"Quick passage of U.S. aid to Ukraine by Congress is vital. We recognise that there are differing views in the House of Representatives on how to proceed, but the key is to keep the issue of aid to Ukraine as a unifying factor," Zelenskiy said on X.
In his nightly video address, Zelenskiy said he told Johnson that Russian strikes on Ukrainian cities were "escalating and can only be stopped by the physical force of our defence".
"And it is very important for Congress to maintain its leadership so that the defence of freedom remains an idea that unites - within our countries and in a majority in the world."
Ukrainian troops are on the back foot on the battlefield, facing shortages of artillery supplies with the U.S. assistance held up in Congress and the European Union failing to deliver on time munitions that it had promised earlier.
