US President Joe Biden said on Saturday that he expressed to his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky his “confidence” that US military aid to Ukraine’s armed forces will resume, even though it continues to be blocked in Congress.

“I spoke to Zelensky this afternoon to tell him that I am sure we will secure the money,” Mr Biden told reporters, as the Ukrainian president appealed in Munich to the West to send his army more weapons and ammunition , a few hours after Russia announced that it now has “full control” of the city of Avdiivka, in the eastern part of the Ukrainian territory.

A spokesman for the National Security Council of the White House estimated earlier yesterday Saturday that the withdrawal of Ukrainian troops and the fall of the city of Avdiivka is proof of the “cost of inaction” of the US Congress.

“I will fight to get (the Ukrainians) the ammunition they need,” the Democratic president insisted.

Mr. Biden called continuing to block military aid in Congress — Republicans control a narrow majority of the House of Representatives — “absurd” and “immoral.”

If the American military aid does not resume, the American president expressed concern that other Ukrainian cities will fall into the hands of the Russian armed forces.

White House National Security Council spokeswoman Adrienne Watson demanded that House Republicans approve “without further delay” a $60 billion funding package after a symbolic victory for Moscow’s forces, which have gone on the offensive after the failure of Ukrainian counteroffensive last summer.

Ukraine’s government has been anxious for months to approve a vote on aid promised to continue by the administration of Joe Biden, who is campaigning for a second term as president, but that has been blocked by Republican opposition in the House of Representatives. , under the influence of his almost certain opponent in November, Donald Trump.

In the event of failure, it will be “a gift to Putin”, US Vice President Kamala Harris warned last Friday in Munich, speaking at the annual international security conference being held in the German city.

Kiev’s decision to withdraw its troops from Avdiyivka followed months of hostilities and the intensification of Russia’s offensive to capture the city since October, with heavy casualties on both sides and widespread damage to its infrastructure.

Faced with severe ammunition shortages and a numerical disadvantage on the battlefield, the Ukrainian armed forces announced their withdrawal Friday night into Saturday. It was the “right decision” in order to “save as many lives as possible,” President Zelensky explained in Munich.