Zelensky thanks Biden for 'unprecedented' support as US tops $60 BILLION in aid

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky expressed gratitude during a call with President Joe Biden on Sunday as the U.S. Congress considers yet another request to send billions in additional aid to Ukraine.

During the call over the weekend, Biden highlighted the funds already sent to Ukraine in its war with Russia. In the 10 months since Moscow invaded Ukraine, the U.S. has passed three separate packages equating $67.3 billion in military, humanitarian and government aid.

'President Biden welcomed President Zelenskyy's stated openness to a just peace based on fundamental principles enshrined in the United Nations Charter,' according to a White House readout of the call.

'He reaffirmed the U.S. commitment to continue providing Ukraine with security, economic, and humanitarian assistance, holding Russia accountable for its war crimes and atrocities, and imposing costs on Russia for its aggression.'

Ukrainian President Zelensky called the conversations with Biden 'fruitful' in a Sunday tweet.

'I expressed gratitude for another security package,' he wrote. 'We discussed further defense cooperation, protection and maintenance of our energy sector. Coordinated positions on the eve of the #G7 online summit. America's leadership remains steadfast!' 

U.S. President Joe Biden (right) and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky (left) spoke on Saturday about the continued cooperation in the Eastern European country's war with Ukraine after the U.S. already sent $67.3 billion in aid 

Biden has proposed a fourth wave of aid as part of next year's funding package, which would include another $37.7 billion and, if passed, it would bring the total assistance to a whopping $105.5 billion in less than one year.

While the additional funding is designed to last Ukraine through the end of Fiscal Year 2023, but at the current rate of spending $6.8 billion per month in the war with Ukraine, the funds could run out by May.

Congress is considering whether to include the additional aid in next year's funding package.

Republicans are critical of Biden and Democrats, claiming they have essentially written a blank check to fund Ukraine's war with Russia. As the GOP prepares to take a majority in the House, they warn that the cash flow may be cut-off.

Georgia Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene has proposed a congressional audit of the funds sent or allocated for Ukraine so far – an idea that many mainstream Republicans are getting behind.

A White House readout of the conversations said that Biden highlighted the billions in aid already sent to Ukraine and the request for Congress to approve even more assistance 

Since Russia invaded Ukraine in February, the U.S. has sent three aid packages amounting to  nearly $70 billion. Pictured: Firefighters work at a local market hit by Russian shelling in Donetsk on Monday, December 12

The White House is also still debating whether to accept a request from Ukraine to send highly controversial cluster munition warheads, which are banned in more than 100 countries.

Ukraine's request for cluster munition warheads, which the Biden team has been considering for several months without outright rejecting it, is one of the most controversial requests made since the war began in February.

A cluster munition is an explosive weapon that releases smaller submunitions. They are imprecise by design and can cover large areas. Since some fail to explode on impact, they can also pose longer-term risks – similar to landmines.

A Ukraine official told CNN that the U.S. has not approved the request yet because they are worried that the munitions would be used against the Russian people and not just the military.

'So what, Russians use cluster munitions against us,' the official said when asked about the negative perception of using cluster munition warheads. 'The [US] worry is about collateral damage. We are going to use them against Russian troops, not against the Russian population.'

Zelensky said he 'expressed gratitude' for the military, humanitarian and government aid the U.S. has sent and plans to send