'We want this money yesterday': Ukraine's PM warns of World War 3 if US doesn't pass aid package

“There could be a World War III if Kyiv loses its conflict with Russia,” Ukraine’s Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said as he pushed for the passage of the $60 billion military package stuck in the US House of Representatives.

Since February this year, a $60 billion military package to Ukraine has been stuck in transit after the Republican Speaker of the House Mike Johnson refused to pass the Senate-approved aid.

Talking to BBC, PM Shmyhal said, “We need this money yesterday, not tomorrow, not today.”

“If we will not protect… Ukraine will fall. So the global, the global system of security will be destroyed… and all the world will need to find… a new system of security. Or, there will be many conflicts, many such kinds of wars, and at the end of the day, it could lead to the Third World War,” he added.

More from World

This Week in Explainers: How recovering from Gen-Z protests is a Himalayan task for Nepal Zohran Mamdani says he would arrest Netanyahu if he is elected as NYC mayor, calls Israeli PM 'war criminal'

Last year, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy raised a similar alarm, saying that if his country loses the war, Russia will invade Poland, triggering the possibility of a third World War.

‘Careful optimism about passage of US aid’

While urging US officials to pass the aid package, the Ukrainian prime minister also expressed “careful optimism” about its passage.

In a major breakthrough, the US House of Representatives may finally vote on providing additional aid to Kyiv.

On Wednesday Johnson sent a text message to House Republicans that said that draft legislation would “soon” be published on three separate bills that would send additional money to  Israel, Taiwan and Ukraine.

Impact Shorts

More Shorts

‘The cries of this widow will echo’: In first public remarks, Erika Kirk warns Charlie’s killers they’ve ‘unleashed a fire’

Trump urges Nato to back sanctions on Russia, calls for 50–100% tariffs on China

‘Will sign this into law immediately’

President Joe Biden said Wednesday he strongly supports a proposal from   Johnson to provide aid to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, sending crucial bipartisan support to the precarious effort to approve $95 billion in funding for the US allies this week.

“The House must pass the package this week, and the Senate should quickly follow,” Biden said. “I will sign this into law immediately to send a message to the world: We stand with our friends, and we won’t let Iran or Russia succeed.”

With inputs from agencies