Latest on Ukraine: U.S. aid stumbles and Slovakia elects a pro-Russia leader

04:34+08:00, PM. Oct. 02, 2023 By International Desk

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba (center left) and European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell visit a monument to fallen defenders of Ukraine in Kyiv, Monday. Borrell and EU foreign ministers have gathered in Kyiv in a display of support for Ukraine's fight against Russia's invasion. Press service of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine via AP hide caption

toggle caption Press service of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine via AP

Press service of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine via AP

Here's a look ahead and a roundup of key developments from the past week.

What to watch

Ukraine's government is reacting cautiously, so far, to a measure that leaves out further aid for Ukraine. Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba Kyiv is in contact with U.S. Democrats and Republicans in Congress and is confident funding will continue. President Biden is pressing Republicans to back new Ukraine aid legislation separate from the spending stopgap. In a show of support to Ukraine, European Union foreign ministers met for a rare gathering in the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv.

What happened last week

Evan Gershkovich appeared in public at a Moscow court last Tuesday. The American reporter has been . The court against a decision to extend his pretrial detention.

Ukraine claimed to have of the Russian navy's Black Sea Fleet, but the Kremlin and affiliated news outlets later of Adm. Viktor Sokolov saying he is still alive.

NATO's secretary-general made an unannounced visit to Kyiv last Thursday, saying Ukraine has been "" in its counteroffensive against Russian forces and calling on alliance members to supply more air defense systems. That followed a by the British defense secretary, who expressed the United Kingdom's commitment to continue its military support.

Canada's Parliament caused an uproar for honoring a Ukrainian Nazi veteran from World War II, after an address there by visiting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Ninety-eight-year-old Yaroslav Hunka, who fought for the First Ukrainian Division under Nazi command, drew a standing ovation from Canadian lawmakers and a grinning Zelenskyy raised his fist in acknowledgment. on the incident; the Kremlin has long claimed without evidence that Ukraine's government harbors Nazis. Canada's House of Commons last Tuesday for inviting Hunka, whom he had introduced as a Ukrainian and Canadian "hero." Prime Minister Justin Trudeau later made a .

in the second Republican presidential primary debate on Wednesday. Candidate Nikki Haley said "a win for Russia is a win for China." And candidate Chris Christie said of Russian President Vladimir Putin, "If we give him any of Ukraine, next will be Poland." The Ukraine war was a sticking point . Former President Donald Trump sat out both debates.

U.S. Congress in a stopgap spending measure to temporarily fund the federal government until Nov. 17. The government had been headed for a shutdown if Congress could not approve a new spending bill. On Saturday, the House approved a bill that left out about $6 billion for Ukraine that had approval in the Senate.

A party led by won the most votes in Slovakia's parliamentary elections, which could shift policies in a country that's a member of NATO and the European Union. It could also bring back to office former Prime Minister Robert Fico, who to Ukraine and instead seek a deal for Russia and Ukraine to end the war.

September saw the highest number of Russia's Shahed drone attacks in Ukraine in a single month, Ukrainian air force . He said Russia used more than 500 drones against Ukraine in September, passing a previous high of 413 .

In-depth

NPR interviews

takes center stage in upcoming elections

Anger grows over

Slovakia's elections could have big

The unclear fate of

Russian appeals court

Zelenskyy's U.S. visit comes as

On the podcast: What are the Will Ukraine And the impact of

On : Six months ; rising price of oil ; and Russian media

On :

Special report

Russia's war in Ukraine is changing the world:

Earlier developments

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