Ukrainian diplomats are actively conducting negotiations at US Congress level on the extension of aid to Ukraine, including the Lend-Lease Act, for another year.

As Interfax Ukraine reports, Oksana Markarova, Ukraine's Ambassador to the United State, Markarova said during the 24/7 national joint newscast that diplomats are working to ensure that Ukraine continues to have two options for military assistance programs: the USAI (Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative) and an extended Lend-Lease Act, in case other programmes expire.

The ambassador said that they are not only negotiating about military aid.

"The fiscal year in the US ends at the end of September. Until the end of September, we still have funds in the American budget that are available to us – for military, budget, humanitarian, energy aid and reconstruction. But we will need additional funds from 1 October. So these talks are key now in order to convey to our colleagues that we will need additional funds," said Oksana Markarova.

On Friday, 7 July, the United States officially announced a new US$800 million military aid package to Ukraine, which included Dual Purpose Improved Conventional Munitions (DPICMs), or cluster munitions.