US President Joe Biden on Saturday told his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky that he is “confident” Congress will renew war aid, but added that without US help Kyiv could lose further territory to Russian advances.

“I spoke with Zelensky this afternoon to let him know that I was confident we’re going to get that money,” Biden told reporters after attending church in Delaware.

Failure by US lawmakers to approve new funding for military aid to Kyiv would be “absurd” and “unethical,” he said, adding: “I’m going to fight to get them the ammunition they need.”

On the same day, Ukrainian forces completed their retreat from Avdiivka in eastern Ukraine, ceding control to Russian forces outnumbering them and outgunning them. Avdiivka has been a frontline city since 2014 and under heavy assault since October 2023.

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Military analysts largely attribute Ukraine’s inability to hold the city to lack of ammunition, exacerbated by the US delay in funding.

With the retreat to more stable lines, Ukrainian forces are now bracing themselves for a more concerted Russian push deeper into Ukrainian territory.

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