Ukraine foreign minister says west must boost defence as ‘era of peace is over’

Dmytro Kuleba: ‘Every time I pass by a funeral for a soldier I double and triple my effort to bring [the war] to an end.’ Photograph: Anastasia Vlasova/The Guardian

Ukraine’s foreign minister has enthusiastically praised US politicians for approving a long-delayed $61bn military aid package for Ukraine, but said western allies needed to recognise that “the era of peace in Europe is over” and that Kyiv would inevitably need more help to fight off Russia.

“Hallelujah,” Dmytro Kuleba said when asked for his reaction to Tuesday’s final vote by the US Senate. He said it had been “my belief that we would have a positive outcome”, based in part on the cultivation of religious conservatives, but the west needed to build its defence industry further.