EU’s top diplomat urges US to reconsider dropping Ukrainian aid from stop-gap budget bill
The European Union’s foreign policy chief called on US lawmakers Sunday to reconsider their decision to omit financial support for Ukraine from a stop-gap budget bill Congress passed to halt a federal government shutdown, AP reports.
The legislation approved Saturday to keep the federal government running until Nov. 17 dropped provisions on providing additional aid to Ukraine, a White House priority opposed by a growing number of Republican lawmakers.
Speaking in Kyiv after meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, the EU’s top diplomat, Josep Borrell, said European officials were surprised by the last-minute agreement in Washington and pledged the 27-nation bloc would carry on helping the invaded country defeat Russia.
“I have hope that this will not be a definitive decision and Ukraine will continue having the support of the US”, Borrell said.
“We are facing an existential threat. Ukrainians are fighting with all their courage and capacities, and if we want them to be successful, then you have to provide them with better arms, and quicker,” the Spanish diplomat added.
Ukrainian officials stressed that US backing for Ukraine would continue despite the stop-gap legislation.
