U.S. President Joe Biden signed a law averting a government shutdown that was set for midnight, according to the White House. The law will keep the government open for the next 47 days.
Biden said that although the bill does not include financial assistance for Ukraine, he expects Speaker Kevin McCarthy "will keep his commitment to the people of Ukraine and secure passage of the support needed to help Ukraine at this critical moment."
"We cannot under any circumstances allow American support for Ukraine to be interrupted," Biden concluded in a statement.
Since January 2021, the U.S. has invested more than $44.5 billion in security assistance to to Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. This includes more than $43.9 billion since Russia’s launched its full-scale invasion against Ukraine on February 24, 2022.
Following a passage of a bill to avoid a government shutdown, top U.S. Senate leaders issued a rare bipartisan statement affirming their commitment to Ukraine.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY), and representatives of the appropriations committees said they expect the Senate will work "to ensure the U.S. government continues to provide critical and sustained security and economic support for Ukraine."
The Kyiv Independent news desk
