The US House of Representatives gave final approval on Friday to a $45 billion aid package for Ukraine, as President Volodymyr Zelensky warned his citizens that Russia could launch attacks over Christmas and urged them to heed air raid alarms.
The aid measure passed by the Democratic-controlled house, part of a $1.66 trillion government funding bill that won Senate approval a day earlier, will now go to US President Joe Biden for signing into law.
In a tweet, Zelensky said it was "crucial" that Americans are "side-by-side" with Ukrainians "in this struggle."
The new military and economic assistance would come atop some $50 billion aid to Ukraine this year as well Western sanctions on Russia that now include a cap on Russian oil prices.
Russia responded to the cap on Friday by threatening to cut oil output by 5%-7% early next year through halting sales to countries that support the measure.
Zelensky returned from Washington -- his first trip since the February 24 invasion -- with the pledge by the US of a Patriot surface-to-air missile battery to bolster his hard-pressed air defenses.
US officials say, however, that the single Patriot battery that Biden promised Zelenskiy during their White House meeting on Wednesday will not change the course of the war.
Zelensky warned Ukrainians that Russia could launch more strikes over Christmas, urging them to "pay attention to air raid alarms, help one another and look out for one another."
"With the holiday season fast approaching, the Russian terrorists could again step up their activities," he said. "They have no regard for Christian values or any values for that matter."
Switching to Russian, Zelensky warned that "citizens of Russia must clearly understand that terror never goes without a response." He did not elaborate.
He said that he had met his top commanders to review the military situation and that his government is "preparing for various scenarios of action by the terrorist state. And we will respond."
He blasted Russian "terror" after shelling on Christmas Eve left at least eight dead and 17 injured in Kherson city, which Kyiv's forces recaptured in November.
Washington and its allies have been unwilling to supply Kyiv with modern battle tanks and long-range missiles called ATACMS that could reach far behind frontlines and into Russia itself.
Kyiv and the Biden administration are wary that retaining US congressional support for aid could become more complicated when Republicans take a slim majority in the House next year: some rightwing Republicans oppose aid and other lawmakers have called for tighter oversight.
Russian President Vladimir Putin made a visit on Friday to the city of Tula, known for arms manufacturing, where he was shown telling defence industry chiefs to boost output of weapons for the front.
