Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy spoke out against American critics who are pushing for cuts to military support to his country stating there are "dangerous voices" in Congress and in the U.S.

Zelenskyy told reporters Wednesday that his team was in constant contact with National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan and other U.S. national security officials, stating he was "glad" Ukraine had the backing of the White House, enjoyed bipartisan support in Congress and received “a lot” of support from the American public.

However, Zelenskyy said the coming year will be "very difficult," referring to the U.S. presidential election, which "will definitely have an impact on support for Ukraine."

"I think we’re going to have a hard time," Zelenskyy said.

He said the election results could be positive or negative for Ukraine.

“For our part, we will do everything to ensure that the support of the United States does not decrease…we will give all our time, our energy to constantly work with the USA," Zelenskyy said. “I expect that our partners in the United States will continue to be our partners and friends.”

Zelenskyy said Ukraine was working on lobbying Biden for longer range missiles.

-ABC News' Tom Buridge and Natalya Kushnir

The U.S. Department of Defense announced an additional $400 million aid package to Ukrainian forces that includes more weapons and ammunition.

This marks the Biden administration's 43rd military aid package to Ukraine since August 2021.

Some of the equipment and weapons in this package include, additional munitions for Patriot air defense systems and National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile Systems (NASAMS); Stinger anti-aircraft systems and Javelin and other anti-armor systems and rockets.

-ABC News' Matthew Seyler

Ukraine has begun using the controversial cluster munitions that the U.S. recently began providing to Ukraine, a U.S. official confirmed to ABC News.

Ukraine, Russia and the U.S. are not signatories to the convention that bans the use of cluster munitions. Russia has used them in the war in Ukraine and so has Ukraine as they a supply of the weapons left over from the Soviet era.

"I believe they have started using them," Pentagon deputy press secretary Sabrina Singh said Thursday. "In terms of the effect on the battlefield, I'd really let Ukraine speak to how they intend to employ them. But you know, this is a powerful artillery that we have given them. They have ... committed to use it responsibly, to keep track and record where they are using it, so when this war is over, they can begin those de-mining efforts."

The weapons are considered dangerous to civilians because the small bomblets that are dispersed by the munitions can remain unexploded until someone accidentally stumbles upon them weeks, months or even years later.

-ABC News' Luis Martinez

Russian forces hit a three-story building and a garage in the city center of Mykolaiv Thursday morning, local time, injuring nine people, including five children, the Mykolaiv Regional State Administration said on Telegram.

There were fatalities stemming from the strikes, but it's unclear how many at this time, the Mykolaiv Regional State Administration added.

In another incident, Russian strikes hit Odesa early Thursday morning, the Odesa District Administration said on Telegram.

Two people were injured and hospitalized from the attack, according to the Odesa District Administration.

There is destruction "in the center" of Odesa and a fire broke out stemming from the strikes, the administration said.

-ABC News' Natalia Kushniir and Yuriy Zaliznyak

Beginning in October, the U.S. will provide F-16 training to a small number of Ukrainian pilots and maintenance teams, Pentagon press secretary Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder said Thursday.

Ryder said "several" pilots and "dozens" of aircraft maintenance personnel will begin training at Morris Air National Guard Base in Tucson, Arizona, after they receive English training in September at Lackland AFB in San Antonio, Texas. The number of pilots and personnel will be determined by Ukraine.

"Although some Ukrainian pilots have English language skills we are anticipating that all the pilots coming to the United States will require some level of additional English language instruction, given the complexities and the specialized English that's required to fly these aircraft," said Ryder.

Sabrina Singh, the Pentagon's deputy press secretary, told reporters earlier this week that the U.S. was open to the idea of training on F-16's if European countries reached capacity though she couldn't define what numbers would constitute capacity. Ryder on Thursday also wouldn't provide a number and said the U.S. wasn't going to wait for the Netherlands and Denmark to reach capacity.

"We know that as the Danes and the Dutch prepare to train those pilots that at a certain point in time in the future, capacity will be reached. So preemptively acknowledging that and leaning forward in order to to assist with this effort is the impetus for why we're doing this now," said Ryder.

Ryder wouldn't get into when F-16 deliveries to Ukraine might begin. Denmark's Prime Minister said over the weekend that the first Danish F-16's could arrive by New Year's.

-ABC News' Luis Martinez