"This aid will strengthen Ukraine and send a strong signal to the Kremlin that this is not a second Afghanistan," a country ravaged by decades of conflict, Zelensky said in an interview on "Meet the Press." "The United States will stand with Ukraine, will protect Ukrainians and democracy in the world," he added. After long and difficult negotiations, the House of Representatives on Saturday approved a $61 billion aid package for Ukraine, with support from both Republican and Democratic lawmakers. The aid package had been held up for months, largely due to opposition from a group of Republican lawmakers, amid concerns about a lack of oversight of how the military equipment would be used by Ukrainian troops facing a larger and better-armed Russian force. The aid, which Zelensky has been pleading for months, was hailed by Kyiv shortly after the vote, with the Ukrainian president saying it would save "thousands and thousands of lives." In his remarks Sunday, Zelensky said some Ukrainian troops are "exhausted" and need to be replaced. "But these new soldiers should have equipment," he added, urging quick final approval of the package, which now heads to the Senate, where it is expected to be taken up as early as Tuesday before being sent to President Joe Biden for his signature. The Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan in 1979 and withdrew in 1989 after a bloody, nearly decade-long conflict. The United States invaded Afghanistan in 2001 after the Sept. 11 attacks and withdrew its forces in August 2021, nearly 20 years later. Also Read: US aid to Ukraine will save thousands and thousands of lives (Portuguese version)