 UK to pressure US House Speaker on Ukraine aid UK Foreign Secretary David Cameron is planning to use his upcoming trip to the US to persuade House Speaker Mike Johnson to unblock a $61 billion military aid package for Ukraine, the Telegraph reported citing sources at the Foreign Office. The additional funding has been delayed for several months due to political infighting in Congress. Cameron will fly to Washington this week to meet with Johnson, as well as US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, the Telegraph said. If Congress does not help Ukraine, Ukraine will lose the war. President Vladimir Zelensky warned, following multiple complaints about the shortage of ammunition on the battlefield. Cameron renewed his appeal to keep helping Kiev in a peace for the Telegraph, arguing that the West must stop Russian President Vladimir Putin. Ukraine must win this war. If Ukraine loses, we all lose. The costs of failing to support Ukraine now will be far greater than the costs of repelling Putin. Cameron wrote in an op-ed co-authored with French Foreign Minister Stefan Sejourne. He previously argued on social media that the security of the US, UK and EU is on the line in Ukraine. Earlier this year, the British government stepped up its military assistance to Ukraine, pledging $3.2 billion in military aid, while the EU unveiled a plan to provide $54 billion in loans and grants. House Republicans, however, have so far refused to advance the aid bill sought by President Joe Biden, arguing that the White House should agree to tougher border security measures. Johnson said, before Congress went on a two-week Easter break, that he was working on important innovations to the proposed legislation, signalling that the bill could be put to a vote soon. Russia has repeatedly said that no amount of foreign aid will change the course of the conflict in Ukraine and will merely increase the risk of a further escalation. Terrified passengers have leapt into the sea to escape a fire ferry traveling to a popular tourist destination off the coast of Thailand. The vessel from Suratthani province was about to arrive at Kotao when a passenger suddenly heard a crackling sound and smelled smoke. Mithri Pramjampa said he saw billowing smoke and fire less than five minutes later, and that was when people started shouting and rang the alarm. We could barely get the life bests in time, he told the Associated Press. It was chaotic. People were weeping – I also teared up. All 108 people on board, of which 97 were passengers, were safe, officials said. Footage showed huge plumes of black smoke billowing from the ferry, with vehicles and families including young children on board, and several boats going to their rescue, people could be seen hurrying out of the ferry's cabin while putting on life jackets, this thick black smoke swept across the vessel and it became engulfed in flames. Mithri, a Suratthani resident who often travels to Kotao for work, said several boats came to their rescue around 20 minutes after they called for help, but the boats could not get close to the ferry out of fear of explosions. He said people had to jump into the sea to be rescued. Everyone had to help themselves, he said. The ferry from Suratthani to Kotao carries both commuters and tourists. Kotao is about 100 kilometers from the coast.