, amid growing recognition that the war could continue for longer than expected, Ukrainian Finance Minister Serhiy Marchenko said on Saturday .
He said that the fresh pledge of economic support - unlocked by a new four-year, US$15.6 billion IMF loan - was"tremendously" important for Ukraine, now in a second year of war after Russia's invasion on Feb 24, 2022. "Financial support is very necessary, as well as military support," he said, acknowledging growing acceptance that the military conflict could drag on.
Marchenko underscored Ukraine's appreciation for United States economic and military support - about US$50 billion since the start of the war - and said that he was confident the US Congress would maintain bipartisan support for Ukraine, despite calls by some Republicans to scale back funding.