Ukrainian forces have made progress on the battlefield, returning more than half of the territory, but the country needs further assistance, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in an interview with CNN.

"For Ukraine this is absolutely vital. They have made remarkable progress over the last year – pushing back Russian aggression, taking back more than 30% of the territory that was seized since February 2022," Blinken said.

If Congress does not approve an aid package for Ukraine and Israel by the end of the year, then, according to Blinken, "the only people who would be happy if the supplemental budget request is not voted on and approved by Congress are sitting in Moscow, sitting in Tehran, sitting in Beijing."

At the same time, the Secretary of State believes that "Russia must be stopped in Ukraine so that they do not go on to attack a NATO country and drag the United States into a broader conflict."