A short time ago, the
House of Representatives
passed a crucial aid bill
for Ukraine, $61
billion in all, including $23
billion to replenish weapons.
The U.S. has supplied to Ukraine
President Wolinski
has been warning for months that
aid is crucial to his country's
Following the vote,
he posted a message thanking the
for its support.
CNN's Fred
Pleitgen is in the Ukrainian
capital of Kiev Fred.
How are Ukrainians feeling about
this U.S.
aid?
Well, I would say very positive.
In fact,
we're hearing that
pretty much from all
walks of society here in this co
that were actually celebrations
in some places here in the capit
in Kiev.
And then, of course,
pretty much
the entire government of this co
coming out within seconds,
really, Fredricka, of this vote
and thanking the United States f
And of course, it can't be overs
just how important it is
for the Ukrainians right now.
On the battlefield,
they've really been suffering
from a shortage of air defense m
but also from artillery ammuniti
as well.
In fact, we've been in touch
with a couple of soldiers
on the front line.
There's one remarkable thing
that we heard from one of them
that I want to read to you.
This is from an artillery
reconnaissance commander
who says, Of course,
when we feel support from the ou
it motivates us.
After all, the military knows
that we cannot win
with sticks and bows
for people who want to defeat th
This news is a great morale boos
so obviously very important
for the Ukrainians.
I've been on the front lines
as they've been suffering
from those ammo shortages
and really was dire
for the Ukrainians
for an extended period of time.
Also, the president of this coun
Volodymyr Zelensky,
he came out
shortly after the vote was passe
and he once again
thanked Mike Johnson
personally for bringing it to a
but also to us in general.
Let's listen in to him.
We appreciate every manifestatio
of support
for our state in independence,
our people in our lives,
which Russia wants to bury in ru
America has shown its leadership
from the first days of this war.
The party of no.
So they are thanking the United
Of course, we do know right
now, as the situation is unfoldi
on the battlefield, Fredricka,
the Ukrainians under
a considerable amount of pressur
but you do get the sense
that they believe that this aid
could help them at the very leas
hold the Russians up,
possibly even in certain areas,
turn things around.
We also got a comment
from the foreign
minister of this country.
There's one thing that stood out
that is quite interesting.
This is to CNN
where he said that
this vote means
is a message
to all wannabe dictators and agg
wanting to plunge the world into
Obviously saying
that this is something
that will prevent just that.
So certainly hear from the Ukrai
You do see
a lot of very positive reactions
They really feel
that they've gotten a new lease
Of course, we have had some pret
predictions coming from the US
and from Ukraine as well,
saying they could lose this war
if this aid package doesn't
come through Fredricka.
All right,
Fred Pleitgen in Kiev, thanks so
And I want to bring in
now Jill Dougherty.
She is a CNN contributor
and an adjunct professor
at Georgetown
University and former
Moscow bureau chief for CNN.
So in your view, this passage of
aid to Ukraine,
what kind of message
is that sending to Vladimir Puti
Well, I think, you know, judging
by what they seem to be saying,
we expected this.
But I think in addition
to the fact that the packages pa
that the Russians were pushing v
in their propaganda
to make this not happen.
That said,
I think the Russians
are almost more worried
about the other part of it,
and that is using the bases
in confiscated Russian sovereign
to pay for the reconstruction of
That worries Russia.
Already there was a statement
from Putin's press secretary,
Dmitry Peskov, saying, Oh, this
the image of the United States
and scare away investors.
But I do think that the Russians
are worried about that. Hmm.
And we know that Putin
looks for vulnerabilities.
And I wonder if he is looking at
you know, the the divisions in p
on Capitol Hill and beyond,
if he is seeing or evaluating
whether there are some inroads
for him to take advantage
of kind of the divisions in the
to find advantage for himself.
Oh, no question.
In fact, there
is now some new information
coming out from the Washington P
about some documents
that were actually Russian docum
that were revealed.
They were intercepted
showing precisely that.
And, you know,
Fred, this is not a surprise,
but what they're doing with the
are trying to do
is really exploit to the max
any divisions in the United Stat
And you just saw a few minutes a
this playing out on TV.
The divisions in Congress
and in the nation about that.
So they will try
to take advantage of that, no qu
CIA Director Bill Burns said Ukr
could have lost
to Russia
by the end of the year
without this money.
It was that dire, right?
Yeah, Well, the indications,
if you look at what
the Ukrainians themselves were s
the commander in chief
seriously was saying,
you know,
that the Eastern Front
has significantly weakened.
They're very worried about
perhaps even in June,
another Russian push.
And then there's another side to
You know, is this was passing
I actually was listening to a ta
by a human rights lawyer,
a very impressive young Ukrainia
and her name is Alexander Chuke.
And she was saying
and speaking during compellingly
about the human price,
that Ukraine is your name.
She said that
passengers who will save thousan
and thousands of lives, that's
verbatim
what President Zelensky was sayi
But she was,
I think, really expressing the f
And I asked her what,
you know,
do Ukrainian people feel
she was expressing that feeling
you know, a lot of people have d
because this bill didn't pass.
But now that it has,
it really could save thousands o
How credible.
All right, Jill Dougherty,
thanks for being with us. Apprec