Ukraine's Ambassador to US explains voting process on US aid to Ukraine

Ukraine’s Ambassador to the United States, Oksana Markarova, has said that the vote on the bill with additional funding for Ukraine could take place somewhat later than expected if the senators’ speeches last longer than usual.

Markarova said on Facebook that the Senate is scheduled to consider the aid package, which includes aid for Ukraine, at 13:00 Washington, DC time (20:00 Kyiv time).

Senators will first vote on Senator Chuck Schumer’s amendment to the national security bill HR815, which reflects the House vote, and a motion to close debate.

"After these two votes (subject to their passage), senators will have up to 30 hours (but no more than one hour each) to discuss the bill, after which the final vote will be held," Markarova explained.

She said that during the previous Senate vote on aid to Ukraine in February, senators’ speeches lasted well into the night, so "the duration of this part of the procedure will depend on how many senators wish to speak and how long they will speak for".

On 20 April, the US House of Representatives approved a bill to provide about US$61 billion in military aid for Ukraine.

Oksana Markarova, Ukraine’s Ambassador to the United States, said on 23 April that the first package of US weapons under the new legislation passed by Congress could arrive in Ukraine as early as April.