Ukraine aid in U.S. spending bill questioned and dropped

Ukrainian officials downplay concerns over a new U.S. spending bill that excluded $20 billion in assistance for Kyiv, insisting that support for Ukraine remains intact across the administration and both houses of Congress. The bill, passed as a stopgap measure to fund the federal government, stripped provisions for military and other aid for Ukraine, raising concerns about wavering bipartisan support. Ukrainian officials are reassured by public support from the White House, Pentagon, and other allies in Congress, but some worry about the growing politicization of aid and its potential impact on Ukraine's fight against Russia.