The Ukrainian representation in the U.S. is working “non-stop” with American lawmakers to convince them to pass the Ukraine aid bill, scheduled for a vote this weekend, Ukraine’s ambassador to the U.S., Oksana Markarova, told the Kyiv Independent on April 19. “From our intense work with both parties and committee approval of voting procedures today, I am cautiously optimistic this time,” Markarova said. U.S. assistance for Ukraine has been effectively blocked since the autumn of 2023, leading to a rapidly deteriorating situation on the battlefield. After months of delays and several versions o…