The Senate of the United States is currently laboring over a military funding plan totaling $95.3 billion. Approximately $60 billion of this package is intended to provide aid to Ukraine in their efforts to defend against Russia.

On Friday evening, 64 senators approved the bill while 19 opposed it. Fourteen Republicans sided with Democrats to advance the proposal, despite opposition from a group of Republicans who align more closely with the leading GOP presidential candidate, Donald Trump. These Republicans do not view supporting Ukraine against Russia as a top priority for the United States.

Senator Chuck Schumer, the Majority Leader, informed his colleagues that he is open to making changes to the package in order to gain more support. However, the Democrat from New York also cautioned that they would continue working until the task is completed.

Although there is a chance for the foreign aid package to pass the Senate through potential Sunday voting, its fate remains uncertain in the House. The majority party in the House, which is Republican, is even less supportive of aiding our ally in Europe as the conflict between Ukraine and Russia continues into its second year.

Last Friday, President Joe Biden expressed frustration with the Republican delay in approving additional aid to Ukraine.

Biden stated in the Oval Office with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz that if the United States Congress fails to support Ukraine, it would be a case of criminal negligence and completely unacceptable.

Scholz briefly visited Washington to show his support for Biden’s push to secure funding for Ukraine.

Scholz spoke about the increasing worries in Europe regarding the disagreement between the Democratic president and House Republicans over funding for Ukraine.

According to Scholz, Ukraine would not stand a chance in defending its country without the backing of both the United States and European states.

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On Thursday, the Ukrainian Service of VOA inquired with senators in Washington about the likelihood of the Ukraine bill being approved.

Democratic Senator Chris Murphy, who is also a member of the Foreign Relations Committee, stated that the responsibility for providing aid to Ukraine lies with the Republicans. Democrats are fully willing to offer their support in any manner necessary. Last fall, Republicans announced that they would not vote in favor of Ukraine aid unless border issues were addressed. In response, Democrats worked towards passing a bipartisan bill to address border concerns. However, all Republicans voted against it yesterday, along with rejecting the proposed Ukraine aid.

Senator Roger Marshall, a member of the Republican party, stated to VOA that he will not support any additional military funding or supplemental funding until measures to secure the border are passed.

A Republican Senator, Bill Cassidy, stood up for the bill and stated to VOA, “It is important for the United States to stand by its allies, as there are hostile nations trying to harm and hinder our country. It is in the best interest of the United States to support our allies.”

Senator Tommy Tuberville, a Republican and member of the Armed Services Committee, expressed his opposition to the bill. He stated to VOA that he has not backed any funding for Ukraine thus far and has not yet determined a stance on the matter. He did acknowledge the need for additional munitions.

The US has been the primary provider of military aid to Ukraine during the war. However, this assistance has been delayed as Congress debates a bill that includes aid for Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan.

for help in Donbas

Ukrainian President Zelenskyy expresses gratitude to the United States and their assistance in the conflict in Donbas.

On Friday, in his nightly video message, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy conveyed gratitude for the assistance provided by Washington in safeguarding Ukraine’s autonomy and democratic values since the start of the conflict.

Zelenskyy emphasized that Ukraine is still dealing with exceptional difficulties in this conflict. He also mentioned that there are growing concerns in Europe about the Kremlin’s plans to escalate aggression. The ongoing support from the United States is crucial, and he expressed gratitude to all American allies who recognize this.

According to Zelenskyy, Russian leader Vladimir Putin only becomes rational when faced with strength.

On Saturday, Ukraine reported that Russian drones attacked the city of Kharkiv, the country’s second largest city, resulting in the deaths of at least seven individuals, including three young children. The attacks also caused fires that caused damage to residential homes and other civilian structures.

The governor of the region, Oleh Syniehubov, stated on Telegram that drones had caused destruction to civilian structures in the Nemyshlyan district of the city. The attack, carried out by Shahed drones made in Iran, resulted in a fire that destroyed at least 14 private residences. Journalists from Suspilne public television witnessed the flames from the fire spreading over the city. The Ukrainian air force reported shooting down 23 out of the 31 Russian-operated drones.

According to Viktor Tereshchenko, the highest-ranking military officer in Velykyi Burluk, a town located east of Kharkiv, drones caused damage to a hospital and a restaurant, as reported by Suspilne.

Last week, authorities reported an assault on a medical facility in the town, resulting in the relocation of numerous patients.

In the port city of Odesa, located on the Black Sea, the governor of the region reported that a drone strike had caused injury to one individual.

Earlier today, reports stated that three individuals lost their lives due to shelling in a village located in the Sumy region, near the Russian border.

Kateryna Lisunova, a contributor for VOA Ukrainian, provided input for this report. Additional information was sourced from The Associated Press, Agence France-Presse, and Reuters.

Source: voanews.com