As of: February 18, 2024, 5:48 a.m
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The withdrawal from the city of Avdiivka, which has been fought over for months, is a further setback for the Ukrainian army in its defensive battle against Russia.
© LIBKOS/AP/dpa
Without Western help, Ukraine cannot withstand the Russian war of aggression in the long term.
The Avdiivka case clearly shows this.
The news at a glance.
Washington/Moscow - US President Joe Biden blamed congressional inaction for the setback following the withdrawal of Ukrainian troops from the city of Avdiivka.
"This morning the Ukrainian military was forced to withdraw from Avdiivka after congressional inaction forced Ukrainian soldiers to ration their ammunition, resulting in Russia's first significant gains in months," the White House said Saturday after a phone call Biden and Ukrainian President Zelensky.
Biden once again assured Zelenskyj the support of the USA and emphasized that Congress urgently needed to approve a new aid package for Ukraine.
After long delays, one of the two chambers of the US Congress, the Senate, recently approved plans for new aid to Ukraine worth around 60 billion US dollars (almost 56 billion euros).
The approval of the House of Representatives is still considered open because the Republicans have a slim majority there.
MPs from the right-wing fringe of the party are opposing further US aid to Ukraine.
That puts pressure on the chamber's Republican leader, Mike Johnson.
That's why he doesn't even want to put the package to a vote.
A vote is theoretically still possible - but a complicated and lengthy procedure would be necessary.
The Democrat Biden repeatedly calls on Congress to act - with moderate success.
The White House recently warned about the fall of Avdiivka and held Congress responsible for it.
The withdrawal from the city in eastern Ukraine, which has been embattled for months, is a further setback for the Ukrainian army in its defensive battle against Russia.
Biden commented on the situation in Ukraine on Saturday afternoon after attending church in the US state of Delaware.
The 81-year-old made it clear that the Russian occupiers could conquer even more cities.
“There is so much at stake,” Biden emphasized.
The idea that the Ukrainian army is now running out of ammunition is “absurd” and “unethical”.
Stoltenberg: There is already less ammunition for Ukraine because of the US dispute
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg also emphasized that the domestic political dispute in the USA was increasing the ammunition shortage in Ukraine.
He couldn't give details, but it was certain that there had been declines in the country's supply of standard ammunition and certain types of air defense equipment, for example, the Norwegian said on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference.
“Because the situation on the battlefield is so difficult, even small reductions can have a big impact,” he added.
He called on the US Congress to quickly make a decision on new military aid for Ukraine.
Putin congratulates Russia's army
Meanwhile in Moscow there is great satisfaction.
Russian President Vladimir Putin congratulated the army he sent to war on the capture of Avdiivka.
“The president congratulated our soldiers and fighters on such an important victory and success,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov was quoted as saying by the Interfax agency.
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The armed forces of Russia and Ukraine said that the other side had lost around 1,500 soldiers in the past 24 hours.
This information could not be independently verified.
Early on Saturday morning, the new commander-in-chief, Olexander Syrskyj, announced that his own units had been withdrawn from Avdiivka after months of heavy fighting and relocated to more favorable defense lines.
This was intended to avoid encirclement and protect the lives of the soldiers, Syrskyj explained.
At the same time, he promised that the city, which once had around 30,000 inhabitants, would be freed from Russian occupation at a later date.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister hopes for Taurus delivery
The Ukrainian government says it assumes that the federal government will still decide to supply Taurus cruise missiles to the country that was attacked by Russia almost two years ago.
“The fact that you don’t hear a clear no is an answer in itself,” Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba told reporters on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference.
“We always trust that such problems will eventually be solved because that is what life has taught us over the last two years.”
In October, Chancellor Olaf Scholz declared that Germany would not deliver any Taurus for the time being.
Behind this are fears that the missiles could hit Russian territory.
At the Munich Security Conference, Scholz avoided the question of whether he might still want to release it.
In an interview after his speech, he simply assured that Germany would always do enough to support Ukraine.
What is important today
Even after the Ukrainian army withdrew from Avdiivka, fighting continues in the east and south of the country.
At the Munich Security Conference, Ukraine is also still hoping for a German commitment to supply Taurus cruise missiles.
dpa