In an interview with Bloomberg, Ukraine’s ambassador to the US said her country is facing a “critical shortage” in military hardware even as she expressed optimism that US lawmakers would overcome their deadlock and deliver aid to Ukraine.
"We still have enough people who want to fight — there is no choice, actually for us, we are defending our homes — but we’re running out of equipment, especially missiles and interceptors," Markarova said.
She added that this support is needed "for yesterday".
Her comments come as the Biden administration’s $60 billion funding request for Ukraine continues to languish on Capitol Hill. The Senate on Thursday signaled support for the war aid, but its fate in the House is unclear.
"I was so happy to hear that it was a very strong bipartisan support, not yet final of course, just the first step in the right direction,” she said. “There is no alternative to continuing this support," she said.
The funding still faces an uphill battle in the House, where some Republicans oppose more aid to Ukraine and others want to tie it to stricter enforcement on the US’s southern border.
US support for Ukraine funding has waned as the conflict enters its third year, and as the Biden administration faces pressing security concerns elsewhere, including in the Middle East after the outbreak of war between Israel and Hamas.
Asked what Ukraine would do if former President Donald Trump is re-elected later this year, Markarova said Ukraine had to thank him for providing Javelin missiles during his administration.
"It’s a democracy — we will work with the president that the American people will elect,” she said. “The fight for freedom, the fight for independence, fight for democracy and the values that we share — it has been, and we will work very hard to have it be, bipartisan," she said.
"We have to do everything possible in order for the US to stay strong and continue supporting us," Markarova added.