Joe Biden blames US lawmakers’ ‘inaction’ for fall of Ukraine’s Avdiivka
- US$60 billion in military aid for Kyiv is being stalled by Trump allies in the US Congress, allowing Russia to make its first notable gains in the war in months
- Biden spoke to Ukraine’s Zelensky over the phone after the city’s fall to reaffirm that he had the continued support of the US despite the delay
US President Joe Biden on Saturday blamed congressional inaction for Russia’s capture of the eastern Ukrainian stronghold of Avdiivka, as partisan wrangling holds up US$60 billion in badly needed military aid.
With Ukrainian forces running low on supplies, Biden called President Volodymyr Zelensky on Saturday “to underscore the United States’ commitment to continue supporting Ukraine”, according to a White House statement summarising the call.
It said the Ukrainian withdrawal from Avdiivka came “after Ukrainian soldiers had to ration ammunition due to dwindling supplies as a result of congressional inaction, resulting in Russia’s first notable gains in months”.
Biden “reaffirmed the strong bipartisan support in the US government and among the American people for Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity”, and he called on Congress to urgently pass a spending bill including aid for Ukraine.
“The Ukrainians continue to fight bravely, but they are running low on supplies,” National Security Council spokeswoman Adrienne Watson said earlier, adding that Ukraine needed artillery ammunition and other critical equipment.