President Joe Biden, in a call Saturday with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, directly tied Ukraineā€™s withdrawal from the key town of Avdiivka to Congressā€™ inability to pass further aid for the countryā€™s effort to fend off Russiaā€™s invasion.

ā€œThis morning, Ukraineā€™s military was forced to withdraw from Avdiivka after Ukrainian soldiers had to ration ammunition due to dwindling supplies as a result of congressional inaction, resulting in Russiaā€™s first notable gains in months. President Biden emphasized the need for Congress to urgently pass the national security supplemental funding bill to resupply Ukrainian forces,ā€ according to a White House readout of the call.

The call bookended a week defined by US attempts to reassert leadership on the world stage. It also highlighted renewed urgency to pass additional funds for Ukraine amid the withdrawal from Avdiivka, a key town that in recent months became one of the most fiercely contested battles on the eastern front, and the news of Kremlin critic Alexey Navalnyā€™s death.

  • SpaceCowboy@lemmy.ca
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    6
    Ā·
    9 months ago

    Pretty much the entire reason. They really donā€™t want to seize assets because thatā€™s the carrot for Russia to end the war and go home. The weapons are the stick. Itā€™s better to have a carrot and stick approach than selling off the carrots to buy more sticks.