US President Joe Biden has assured Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky that $60bn in military aid is on its way, pending a final vote in Congress. The aid is urgently needed to help Ukraine defend itself against a looming “catastrophic” situation in Europe. The US has expressed concern over a lack of Congressional support for Ukraine’s withdrawal from the battle at Avdiivka, which has been a battlefield town since 2014.
Mr. Zelensky has been appealing for more weapons to avoid potential disaster, saying that the Ukrainian people have proven they can force Russia to retreat and that they can get their land back. However, the Ukrainian military is critically dependent on supplies from the US and other Western allies to continue fighting Russia, a much larger military force with an abundance of artillery ammunition.
UK Foreign Secretary David Cameron expressed support for Ukraine and emphasized that help from the UK, the EU, and the US would make a “real difference” in the fight against Russia. However, some in Ukraine have expressed disappointment with what they view as a lack of support from the US.
Avdiivka has been the site of fierce fighting for months and has seen significant territorial changes since 2014. The head of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic, Denis Pushilin, has welcomed Russia’s territorial gain in the region.
The situation in Ukraine remains tense, and the US and its allies are under increasing pressure to act in support of Ukraine’s defense capabilities. The historic background of this topic includes ongoing conflict in the region since 2014, when Russian-backed fighters seized large swathes of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions.