"I don’t know whether the first effort would be assistance, but I do think that this administration will address the strategic elements of what we do in our relationship with Ukraine," Smith stated on Wednesday.
Smith, a member of US House Committee on Armed Services, said the Trump administration will have to determine what kind of assistance the United States should provide.
He noted that it could be monetary or strategic support in form of military aid.
Ukraine relies heavily on foreign aid to support its economy and repay debts amid an ongoing armed conflict between government forces and pro-independence campaigners in the country's southeast.
Russia has repeatedly refuted allegations of involvement in the ongoing conflict in eastern Ukraine, warning that the Western sanctions introduced against Moscow over the matter are counterproductive and undermine global stability.
