Zelenskyy on US Senate support for financial assistance to Ukraine: it was first step, we expect positive decision of House of Representatives

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has welcomed the vote of the U.S. Senate for the international aid bill, which provides for USD 60 billion of funding for Ukraine, and noted that Ukraine now expects a positive decision on this bill from the House of Representatives.

Zelenskyy said this in his video message, Ukrainian News Agency reports.

"There is a positive from the United States: once the Senate has voted to continue supporting our country, our warriors. A decision for which we worked very hard. The decision that was expected not only by us, but also by many other peoples, in particular in Europe," he said.

Zelenskyy thanked each of the 70 senators who voted positively, stressing that Ukraine greatly appreciates this.

"It was the first step. Next is the House. The congressmen vote there. We expect a positive decision. We hope for principled support. And we believe that America will continue to be a leader," he said.

Ukrainian Ambassador to the United States Oksana Markarova on Facebook said that after all procedural votes and more than 6 hours of speeches that lasted all night, the Senate in the final vote supported the bill on international assistance to the United States, which provides for an allocation of USD 60.06 billion to help Ukraine, as well as assistance to other states.

Next, this bill will be referred to the House of Representatives.

As Ukrainian News Agency earlier reported, the U.S. Senate voted on February 12 to end debate on the text of the bill, which provides for the allocation of assistance to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan.

The U.S. presidential administration warned of "catastrophic consequences" if Congress does not approve aid to Ukraine.