Ukraine’s Ambassador to the United States in late December said her country is confident that it still enjoys strong bipartisan support in Congress for an additional aid package and she is hopeful a deal would be reached when lawmakers return in January, The Hill reported.
While appearing on MSNBC’s “The Sunday Show with Jonathan Capehart,” Ambassador Oksana Markarova said that from discussions with lawmakers from both sides of the aisle, she believes that there remains “strong bipartisan support” for Ukraine.
Markarova insisted that lawmakers on Capitol Hill understand that continuing support is important for the prosperity of both Ukraine and Europe and for US national interests.
Congress left for Christmas recess without arriving at a deal to provide additional funding to both Ukraine and Israel in exchange for measures to secure the southern US border.
However, Ambassador Markarova remains confident that a deal can be reached when lawmakers return to Washington.
She told Capehart that she hoped that there would be a solution that lawmakers on both sides of the aisle find acceptable that would not delay support for Ukraine. She added that she hoped Congress could reach a deal by the beginning of January.
The State Department announced last Wednesday a $250 million military aid package for Ukraine which will be the last drawdown aid package until Congress approves the additional funding requested by the White House, CNN reported.
The aid package includes arms and equipment from previously directed drawdowns for Ukraine, according to Secretary of State Antony Blinken, including air defense system components, air defense munitions, additional munitions for HMARS systems, anti-armor munitions, 155mm and 105mm artillery, and more than 15 million rounds of small arms ammunition.
In his statement announcing the package, Secretary Blinken urged Congress to “swiftly” approve the additional aid requested by the president when lawmakers return this week.
