After several months of deadlock, the US House of Representatives in Washington approved the long-awaited aid package for Ukraine, worth 61 billion dollars(57 billion euros), to deal with the Russian invasion.

This military and economic assistance, which is the result of months of intense negotiations, was finally supported by both sides of parliament.

The aid package for Ukraine must now be approved in the Senate, where a first vote could take place as early as Tuesday.

This is the most significant of a set of three bills being voted on in a rare Saturday session, which includes support for Israel and Taiwan, for a total volume of 95 billion dollars(89 billion euros).

"It will save thousands and thousands of lives"

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy thanked the nearly 61 billion dollar aid package passed by the US House of Representatives and said that "it will save thousands and thousands of lives".

"The vital aid bill passed today in the US House of Representatives will stop the war from spreading, will save thousands and thousands of lives and will help our two countries to be stronger," Zelenskyy wrote on the social network X/Twitter, while expressing his "gratitude" to US lawmakers and, in particular, to the speaker of the lower house, Republican Mike Johnson.

The aid package was blocked for several months by a group of Republican congressmen close to former President Donald Trump.

"Democracy and freedom will always have global significance and will never fail as long as America helps to protect them," Zelenskyy said.

The Ukrainian President said he hoped that the aid package would soon be approved by the Senate and go to US President Joe Biden for final approval.

NATO welcomes US aid

NATO's Secretary General has welcomed the approval by the US House of Representatives of a financial aid package for Ukraine.

In a message published on the social network X/Twitter, Jens Stoltenberg welcomed the approval of "a major new aid program for Ukraine", worth around 61 billion dollars.

"Ukraine is using weapons supplied by NATO allies to destroy Russian combat capabilities. This strengthens the security of everyone in Europe and North America," he said.