Olena Zelenska has warned that Ukrainians are in “mortal danger” of being left to die if Western countries don’t continue their financial support.
Ukraine’s first lady spoke to Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg a day after Republican senators in the US blocked a key aid bill.
It would have provided more than $60 billion worth of support to Ukraine.
Speaking hours after a Russian missile attack, she said: “If the world gets tired, they will simply let us die.”
The White House has warned that US funds for Ukraine could soon run out, but Republicans have held up a deal to authorize more assistance.
They are seeking to secure compromises from President Joe Biden and Democrats in Congress on funding for US border measures in exchange for their support.
President Biden said the failure to agree on Ukraine’s aid would be a “gift” for President Vladimir Putin, warning history would “judge harshly those who turned their backs on freedom’s cause.”.
The UK has also been urging politicians in Washington, DC, to agree on a deal for Ukraine.
UK Foreign Secretary Lord Cameron said on a visit to Washington this week that the US was the “lynchpin” of the Western coalition backing Ukraine’s fight against Russia.
He urged the US not to give Mr. Putin a “Christmas present” by blocking the billions of dollars of financial support required to continue the war against Russian forces.
