Russia
has been warned not to count on "weariness" in Europe over support for
Ukraine, as European Union (EU) foreign ministers meet in Kyiv.
It is the first time the assembly has been held outside the bloc. Ukraine is not an EU member but wants to join.
EU policy chief Josep Borrell has described the ongoing war in Ukraine as an "existential crisis".
"Maybe
it's not being seen like this for everybody around the world, but for
us, Europeans, allow me to repeat it: it's an existential threat," Mr
Borrell told the gathering on Monday.
"And
that's why we have to continue supporting you and discussing with our
American allies and friends for them to continue supporting you."
French
Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna, meanwhile, described the gathering
as a "demonstration of our resolute and lasting support for Ukraine,
until it can win".
"It is also a message to Russia that it should not count on our weariness. We will be there for a long time to come."
The US budget deal, which is a temporary measure, did not include $6bn (£4.92bn) in military aid for Kyiv.
But
President Joe Biden, who has already approved some $46bn (£37bn) in
military aid since Russia launched its full-scale invasion last year,
said Kyiv could "count on" US support.
The
Kremlin says it believed conflict fatigue would grow in both Europe and
the US but that Washington would continue to be directly involved in
the conflict.
Ukrainian
Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said on Monday that he thought it had
been an "incident" rather than an example of waning support.
Hardline
Republicans in the US oppose further military aid for Ukraine, with
many openly opposing President Joe Biden's approach to the war.
"We
are now working with both sides of Congress to make sure that it does
not (get) repeated again under any circumstances," said Mr Kuleba.
"So we don't feel that the US support has been shattered."
Ukraine has been making some progress in its pushback against Russia - widening the breach in Russia's defences in the southern Zaporizhzhia region.
It
has also made advances around Bakhmut after Russia moved some of its
most experienced troops from there to strengthen defences further south.
Meanwhile,
Russia has maintained drone attacks on Ukraine's River Danube ports -
damaging the country's grain export infrastructure.
Ukraine
said on Monday that numerous infrastructure facilities and residential
buildings were damaged in Kherson, Zaporizhzhya and Kharkiv regions.
The
EU foreign ministry meeting comes after the pro-Russian candidate of
one of its members, Slovakia, won the country's parliamentary elections.
Robert Fico, who is a former prime minister, is expected to start coalition talks on forming the next government.
He has previously pledged an immediate end to military support for Ukraine.
Mr Kuleba said it was "too early to judge" how the election result would impact his country.
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