Local Ukrainians applaud US support as House passes foreign aid package

Months of anxious waiting ended for Ukrainians this weekend as a critical aid package secured its biggest approval.

The passage on Saturday signifies a renewed commitment by the United States to supporting Ukraine in its fight against Russia.

The House approved $95 billion in foreign aid for Ukraine, Israel and other U.S. allies.

"I've received a lot of personal messages of support from my American friends," Misha Shvets, a UNC student, said.

The update brings relief to UNC student Misha Shvets. Meanwhile, his parents, still in Ukraine, have moved closer to safety, mere miles away from missile zones.

"My mother is in Dnipro, and yesterday, there was a rocket strike in downtown Dnipro," Shvets said.

He says it was too close a call, so this funding is a relief.

It'll help Ukraine protect itself in its war against Russia.

"That aid will provide air defense and artillery shelf for the front lines, and it will save lives," Shvets said.

Though a February rally marked two years since the war began for Ukraine, the pain is ever-present for Maryna Kapustina, who helped organize it.

Every day feels as raw as the first.

"War is still here. And we need support. We need the feeling that good people are staying together with us," Kapustina said.

This American aid, she believes, can help contain the war.

"If they lose more territory, it'll be a disaster for everybody here because there will be more Ukrainian refugees in the world," Kapustina said. "It will be a lot of destruction."

The bill will now head to the Senate, where it's expected to pass.