KYIV, Ukraine (AP) 鈥 President Joe Biden's top foreign policy adviser Jake Sullivan sought to reassure Ukrainians during an unannounced visit to Kyiv Wednesday that the U.S. will continue to support their efforts to fend off Russia's two-year-old invasion.
The national security adviser expressed optimism that lawmakers in Washington will break a monthlong logjam and approve tens of billions of dollars in military and economic aid to Ukraine. Russian forces have exploited the shortfall to make some gains in the conflict.
鈥淲e will get a strong bipartisan vote in Congress," Sullivan said during a press conference. 鈥淲e will get that money to you as we should, so I don鈥檛 think we need to speak about Plan B today.鈥 He also acknowledged that the process had 鈥渢aken too long.鈥
Sullivan said the U.S. would consider the conflict a victory for Ukraine if it emerges from the war as a sovereign, democratic and free country.
He sought to reassure Ukrainians that U.S. will continue to support them as it did since the first days of Russia鈥檚 invasion, despite the holdup in Congress. House Republicans have thus far refused to take up a backed by the White House to fund military aid for Ukraine and Israel, as well as humanitarian assistance for people in Gaza.
鈥淭here is wide understanding in the United States that Ukraine matters, that the security and future of Ukraine matters to the security and future of United States of America," Sullivan said. "And that we want to help aid a friend and a partner, but we also want to help ourselves in helping you.鈥
Sullivan鈥檚 trip was meant 鈥渢o reaffirm the United States鈥 unwavering commitment to Ukraine in its self-defense against Russia鈥檚 brutal invasion,鈥 said 香港六合彩挂牌资料 Security Council spokesperson Adrienne Watson.
