Opinion editor's note: Editorials represent the opinions of the Star Tribune Editorial Board, which operates independently from the newsroom.
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Speaking at the Ukrainian American Community Center in Minneapolis last week, Ukrainian ambassador to the U.S. Oksana Markarova described, and decried, "a barrage of missiles and drones on peaceful cities every day."
And yet, Kyiv's envoy to Washington added, "We will stay the course. We need you, our friends, to stay the course with us."
That includes Ukraine's friends in Congress, which should be every representative and senator. But what was once perceived as an unbreakable bond between Washington and Kyiv shows signs of deep strain, leading to a White House warning that U.S. funding for Ukraine's war effort is about to run out.
"I want to be clear," Shalanda D. Young, the director of the Office of Management and Budget, wrote to congressional leaders as part of the Biden administration's latest push for an additional $61.4 billion in aid. "Without congressional action, by the end of the year we will run out of resources to procure more weapons and equipment for Ukraine and to provide equipment from U.S. military stocks.
"There is no magical pot of funding available," the letter continued. "We are out of money — and nearly out of time."
Congress can't allow this to continue. It must help Ukraine defend itself from Russia's full-scale invasion, which threatens not only Ukraine but also NATO nations — and by extension, America.