President Joe Biden blamed the inaction of American lawmakers for Russia's control of the city of Avdiivka in eastern Ukraine, as the dispute between Democrats and Republicans in Congress delays the approval of $60 billion in much-needed military aid for Ukraine. Biden called Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Saturday to "reaffirm the United States' commitment to continue supporting Kyiv," according to a White House statement. The statement noted that the Ukrainian withdrawal from Avdiivka occurred "after the Ukrainian army had to ration ammunition due to dwindling supplies because of Congress's inaction, leading to Russia's first significant gains in months." Biden emphasized "strong bipartisan support in the U.S. government and among the American public for Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity," urging Congress to urgently pass the spending bill, including aid for Ukraine.
U.S. National Security Council spokesperson Adrienne Watson previously stated, "Ukrainians continue to fight bravely, but their supplies are running low," adding that Ukraine needs artillery ammunition and other vital equipment. Zelensky announced on Saturday evening that he spoke by phone with Biden and discussed the situation at the front, expressing confidence that the U.S. Congress would make a "wise decision" to release aid to Kyiv. Zelensky wrote on the messaging app Telegram: "I am glad that I can count on the full support of the U.S. president. We also trust in the wise decision of the U.S. Congress."
The fall of the industrial city of Avdiivka in the Donbas region of eastern Ukraine marked an important victory for Russian President Vladimir Putin. The U.S. support statements came as Vice President Kamala Harris and Secretary of State Antony Blinken sought to reassure Western allies at the Munich Security Conference that Washington's support for Kyiv's war efforts against the Russian invasion would continue. With current U.S. funding drying up, allies of former President Donald Trump in the House of Representatives were obstructing critical aid to Ukraine.
