Debates on U.S. aid for Ukraine focus solely on budget, humanitarian support - Ukrainian ambassador

MOSCOW. Nov 20 (Interfax) - Discussions ongoing in the United States concerning its support for Ukraine in 2024 involve no debates on its military component and are focused chiefly on a budget and humanitarian component, Ukrainian media quoted Ukrainian Ambassador to the U.S. Oksana Markarova as saying on her social account.

"The good news is, there have been virtually no discussions on the military component. Among the problematic ones, the hottest debates are ongoing on direct budget support, humanitarian [support], and also regarding a policy and funding for the U.S. southern border, which has no [immediate] relation to Ukraine but which is tied to the Ukraine and Israel support package and South Pacific aid," Markarova said.

"The position of Ukraine and our friends is: we need all kinds of assistance (security, direct budget, restoration, energy, and humanitarian support), and we need it 'yesterday', which means as soon as possible. This 'as soon as possible' can be when Congress resumes work after Thanksgiving in late November or in December," she said.

Markarova urged U.S. residents of Ukrainian origin "to call/write their senators and Congress members and let them know that Ukraine needs full support for 2024 and that time is of the essence."