WASHINGTON, DC – As the US federal government grinds to a halt in a bitter partisan shutdown, the immediate effect on a key American ally, Ukraine, appears to be minimal. US officials and Ukrainian observers say that while the crisis is an unwelcome distraction, critical military and diplomatic support for Kyiv hasn’t been interrupted – at least not yet. JOIN US ON TELEGRAM Follow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official . The shutdown – a high-stakes political staring match with no