Poland’s Ambassador to the U.S., Marek Magierowski, says there is a sense of cautious relief as the aid package to Ukraine passed a vote in the House.

“It's an argument that I have been using abundantly here in my conversations with Americans, that the Ukrainians are now fighting not only for their sovereignty and for their freedom, but for our own freedom, or the collective West,” he said. 

The latest round of U.S. aid to Ukraine has been stalled for months, as fighting against Russia worsened. 

“If, in the worst case scenario, Ukraine loses this war, it would dent NATO's credibility. More broadly, the West's credibility. It would not be the final nail in the coffin of Western civilization, but certainly a very negative development,” Magierowski said.

Getting arms and aid into Ukraine quickly will still be a challenge, says the Lithuanian ambassador to the U.S., Audra Plepyte. 

“Speed has not been our friend, unfortunately. There have been initiatives to speed things up, but it’s a challenge,” she said.   

The war has changed the NATO alliance, she said. 

“It was really eye opening for all the allies and how fast all nations reacted in assisting Ukraine. And also not only NATO, but the European Union and the whole the democratic world,” Plepyte said

The ambassadors spoke as part of an event put on by the World Affairs Council of Hampton Roads, which included the Romanian Ambassador to the U.S. and the NATO commander in Norfolk, Gen. Philippe Lavigne.

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