The Biden administration in the United States urged Congress to take swift action, stating that the reason the Ukrainian military lost the eastern battleground of Avdiivka to Russia was because Congress did not allocate the budget to support Ukraine.
According to the White House, on the 17th (local time), ahead of the second anniversary of Russia's invasion, President Joe Biden spoke with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and emphasized the United States' commitment to continue supporting Ukraine.
President Biden said that the Ukrainian military's withdrawal from Avdiivka on that day due to shortages of ammunition and supplies was a result of Congress failing to act. Currently, while the Senate has passed a budget bill to support Ukraine, the House of Representatives, where the Republicans hold the majority, is delaying the process due to opposition from hardliners who are negative about supporting Ukraine.
The White House stated that President Biden emphasized the urgent need for Congress to pass an additional security budget to resupply the Ukrainian military.
On the same day, at a church on the Rehoboth Beach in Delaware, President Biden responded to reporters' related questions by telling President Zelensky, "I am confident that we will secure that money," adding, "I will fight to provide them with the ammunition they need."
He reiterated his position that the death in custody of Russian opposition activist Alexei Navalny is "Putin's responsibility."
He also criticized the notion that the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) alliance, which has basically maintained peace for 70 years, is not overwhelmingly beneficial to the interests of Atlantic countries, calling it "bizarre."
Targeting former President Donald Trump, who downplayed the importance of NATO, he said, "I just don't understand it. I don't understand the lack of knowledge of history and the absence of responsibility."
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