KYIV - Ukraine is confident of continued US support regardless of who wins next week's presidential election, Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said on Oct 31, citing what he called strong bipartisan support.

       Earlier in October, Donald Trump blamed President Volodymyr Zelensky for helping start the war with Russia, a comment that further suggests the Republican is likely to decrease US support for Ukraine if he wins.

       "We have strong bipartisan support, both Republicans and Democrats. And of course, we have strong support of the American people," Mr Sybiha, speaking in English, told reporters in Montreal when asked about the election result.

       "I would like to emphasise that support to Ukraine, it is not a charity, (it's) a contribution in trans-Atlantic security, and we are confident that this support will be continued," he said, at the end of a conference discussing the return of Ukrainians detained by Russia.

       Trump has frequently criticised Mr Zelensky on the campaign trail, while Democratic candidate Kamala Harris has pledged to continue supporting Ukraine.

       The two candidates are in a tightly contested race for the Nov 5 election.

       Congress has approved nearly US$175 billion (S$230 billion) of aid and military assistance for Ukraine and allied nations since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022.

       Mr Sybiha said the US aid had been unprecedented.

       "We are confident in the US support, because also we are protecting our common values - we are protecting democracy. And this war is not the war about Ukraine, this war is about restoration of the world order," he said. REUTERS