U.S. Says Can Send One Last Aid Package To Ukraine This Year, As Senate Breaks For Holidays Without Fund Deal

The Biden Administration said on Tuesday that it 'absolutely' stands with Ukraine, but current U.S. military aid to Kyiv runs out by the end of the month with just a single drawdown package, without Congressional support, TURAN's Washington correspondent reports.

For weeks, Senators have struggled to strike a bargain pairing about $50 billion in fresh military aid for Ukraine with border enforcement measures stringent enough to satisfy Republicans but not so severe as to alienate Democrats. They left the town Tuesday nights for a holiday break. The two sides have been unable to unite behind immigration reform legislation.

At a State Deoartment's press briefing on Tuesday, TURAN's correspondent asked spokesperson Matthew Miller to reassure Ukrainians after president Vladimir Zelensky said earlier in the day he was 'confident' the U.S. would not let Ukraine down in terms of support.

"Speaking on behalf of the Executive Branch, we absolutely stand with Ukraine.. So I think that question is one for the United States Congress," Miller said.

Failure to reach a deal guarantees a tough fight ahead for Ukraine.  "Congress is going to have to decide whether they are going to stand with Ukraine and supply the funding that they need to push back on Russia’s invasion as we enter what we expect to be a very difficult winter or if they’re not going to" Miller said.

He went on to warn,  "There is no magic pot of funding that we have available to draw on if Congress doesn’t pass this bill."