The White House warned on Thursday that Russian forces were close to taking control of the eastern Ukrainian city of Avdiivka, as the Ukrainian military faces a lack of resources and U.S. aid remains withheld.
“The fighting is incredibly intense in the east, especially in a city called Avdiivka. It’s a city we’ve talked about several times before. Unfortunately, reports are coming in from Ukrainians that the situation is critical. “There are,” White House National Security and Communications Advisor John Kirby said Thursday.
“As the Russians continue to press the Ukrainian position every day, [Avdiivka] “We are in danger of falling under Russian control,” Kirby continued. “This is mainly happening because Ukrainian troops on the ground are running out of artillery shells. Russia is sending conscript troops one after another to attack Ukrainian positions.”
The White House’s warning comes amid a heated battle in Congress over sending additional aid to Ukraine.
The Senate approved the bill, which includes $60 billion for Ukraine, but House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-Louisiana) has indicated that the bill will not come up for a vote in the Senate. Former President Trump, this year’s leading Republican presidential candidate, and his allies oppose additional aid to Ukraine.
The White House has ramped up its public relations offensive against Johnson, starting the House of Representatives’ recess on Thursday and criticizing him for not holding a vote on the Senate’s Ukraine aid package.
“Every day that Speaker Johnson worsens national security, America loses. And every day that he postpones a clean vote, Congressional Republicans’ standing with the American people diminishes,” White House Press Secretary Andrew said. Bates said. “Fleeing away for an early vacation only makes both problems worse.”
Prime Minister Johnson hit back Thursday, saying the White House had thrown cold water on his request to meet with Biden.
“This criticism is disingenuous. The president, who has been on vacation for more than a calendar year since taking office, continues to refuse to even meet with the speaker,” press secretary Taylor Halsey said in a statement.
Russia launched a major attack on Avdiivka in October last year, with the UK Ministry of Defense calling it the most significant attack by Russia since the start of 2023 in an intelligence update.
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