Work is ongoing in the U.S. Congress to finalize the defense budget, which is important for Ukraine’s security.
This was stated by Ukraine’s ambassador to the United States, Olga Stefanishyna, in an interview with Ukrinform.
Stefanishyna recalled that in early June, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Ukraine Support Act for the first time in a long while, sending an important signal that bipartisan support for Kyiv remains intact.
According to her, a significant number of Ukraine-related legislative initiatives were introduced in both chambers of Congress during 2025-2026. She stressed that support for Ukraine remains steady and bipartisan.
The ambassador noted that the House’s passage of the Ukraine Support Act “stirred Congress” and signaled that Ukraine remains a priority for U.S. lawmakers. At the same time, the Senate continues to prepare other legislative measures, including discussions on a bipartisan bill that could introduce a sweeping package of sanctions.
Stefanishyna said she maintains regular contacts with senators from both parties.
She added that both chambers of Congress are currently working on final versions of the U.S. National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for fiscal year 2027.
The ambassador recalled that the Senate has already included $750 million in funding for Ukraine in its version of the defense budget, a provision approved by the Senate Armed Services Committee. She noted that the amount is nearly three times higher than the funding allocated this year.
According to Stefanishyna, the Senate committee’s version of the bill extends the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI) through 2029, preserving one of the key mechanisms for long-term U.S. defense assistance to Ukraine.
She also noted that the Senate version calls for the establishment of a U.S.-Ukraine Strategic Defense Innovation Working Group focused on developing unmanned technologies, and requires the Pentagon to continue providing intelligence support to Ukraine for its defense and for the liberation of its internationally recognized territory.
These provisions are absent from the version drafted by the House of Representatives. Instead, the House bill requires the U.S. Department of State and the Pentagon to prepare a joint report on Russia’s religious persecution in Ukraine and the temporarily occupied territories, and provides for sanctions against those responsible.
The ambassador stressed that the next key stage will be negotiations between the two chambers of Congress to reconcile their versions of the bill. Ukraine hopes that the final version of the US Defense Authorization bill will retain the provisions essential to its security and defense capabilities.
She emphasized that committee-level decisions continued to move forward despite the Pentagon shifting part of its attention to operations involving Iran, and that there had been no significant disruptions in the supply of weapons to Ukraine.
“It demonstrated that Ukraine remains a priority,” Stefanishyna said, adding that this applies first and foremost to defense, air defense, and the protection of Ukrainian cities.
As Ukrinform reported, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill supporting Ukraine and strengthening sanctions against Russia.
Photo provided by the Embassy