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BBC HomepageSkip to contentAccessibility HelpYour accountNotificationsHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeMore menuMore menuSearch BBCHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeCBBCCBeebiesFoodClose menuBBC NewsMenuHomeIsrael-Gaza warCost of LivingWar in UkraineClimateUKWorldBusinessPoliticsCultureMoreTechScienceHealthFamily & EducationIn PicturesNewsbeatBBC VerifyDisabilityPoliticsParliamentsBrexitLaura Kuenssberg: West facing ‘authoritarian’ alliance, says Nato chiefPublished7 hours agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingRelated TopicsWar in UkraineBy Laura KuenssbergPresenter, Sunday with Laura KuenssbergAn “alliance of authoritarian powers” is working more closely together against Western democracies, the head of Nato has warned.Jens Stoltenberg told the BBC that Russia, Iran, China and North Korea are increasingly aligned.He also said he was confident allies of the Nato military alliance would agree a long-term funding deal for Ukraine by July.But he suggested Ukraine might have to decide on some “kind of compromises”.Mr Stoltenberg was speaking to Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg, in an interview to be broadcast on Sunday morning.On the Middle East conflict, he said it was “very important” that the US and other Nato countries conveyed “a very clear message to Israel” that they have to do “significantly more” to protect civilians and aid workers after the World Central Kitchen convoy attack. Mr Stoltenberg took over as the leader of Nato, the Western defence alliance, 10 years ago. Speaking to mark the 75th anniversary of the organisation, he told me the world was now “much more dangerous, much more unpredictable” and “much more violent”. He said there is an “authoritarian” alliance giving each other practical support that is “more and more aligned”. The Nato chief explained: “China is propping up the Russian war economy, delivering key parts to the defence industry, and in return, Moscow is mortgaging its future to Beijing.” This video can not be playedTo play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser.Media caption, Jens Stoltenberg says the West must stand up to “authoritarian alliance”Russia was providing technology to Iran and North Korea in return for ammunition and military equipment, he added. Mr Stoltenberg told me that Nato had to work with other countries beyond its geography – such as Japan and South Korea – to “stand up against this stronger alliance of authoritarian powers”. The Nato chief has been trying to persuade other countries to commit more money to the war effort in Ukraine in recent days in the hope of a five-year, 100bn euro (£86bn) fund. He said he was confident he would get an agreement by July, despite some countries expressing hesitation this week. Long-term support was vital now, and to rebuild the country after the conflict, he said.”Even if we believe and hope that the war will end in the near future, we need to support Ukraine for many years, to build their defences to deter future aggression,” he said.Sign up for the Off Air with Laura K newsletter to get Laura Kuenssberg’s expert insight and insider stories every week, emailed directly to you.However, while Mr Stoltenberg said that military support was vital to repel Russian forces from Ukraine and force Putin to give up his goals of occupation, he also suggested that Ukraine might ultimately have to make concessions too.”At the end of the day, it has to be Ukraine that decides what kind of compromises they’re willing to do, we need to enable them to be in a position where they actually achieve an acceptable result around the negotiating table,” he said.This video can not be playedTo play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser.Media caption, Nato chief says that Ukraine may have to decide what compromises it wants to makeHe said he was not calling for Ukraine to offer concessions now, and added that “real peace” would be achievable when “Ukraine prevails”. But his language is notable because President Volodymyr Zelensky has always been adamant that he would never negotiate with Putin despite some calls on him to do so, including from the Pope.Mr Stoltenberg refused to be drawn on whether he was concerned about the possible return of Donald Trump to the White House, saying only that he was sure the US would continue to be an important ally, whoever was in charge. But his remarks about the way regimes around the world are working together are a reminder for Western leaders of the complicated and dangerous diplomatic jigsaw they have to piece together.On this week’s show is Labour’s shadow foreign secretary, David LammyWatch live on BBC One and iPlayer from 09:00 GMT on SundayFollow latest updates in text and video on the BBC News website from 08:30More than two years into the conflict in Ukraine, our politicians must grapple with the reality that what is happening there is affected by decisions not just in Moscow and Kyiv but also in Washington DC, Brussels and London, as well as Beijing, Tehran and even Pyongyang. Meanwhile, six months into the Middle East conflict in Gaza, as Jeremy Bowen writes, solutions are affected by decisions not just by Israelis and Palestinians, but also Iranians, politicians in the US, the Gulf States and the UK. Most recently, this has centred on a row over arms sales, prompting criticism of the government from all sides. The latest intervention came on Saturday morning from one former Conservative prime minister, Boris Johnson, to another, Foreign Secretary Lord Cameron. Foreign policy is rarely the overwhelming driver of votes and public opinion in the UK. This is partly because opposition parties traditionally try to avoid fights at home about battles abroad. It’s also partly because voters’ top priorities normally centre on their own lives and the prospects for their families. But that does not mean that the public doesn’t care, or is immune from the horror they see unfolding on their screens every day, or hasn’t been affected by world events – take, for instance, the huge energy price rises caused by the Ukraine conflict. And conflicts around the world in all their complexities are increasingly occupying our politicians’ time, energy and effort. 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[ad_1] Nato head Jens Stoltenberg tells Laura Kuenssberg authoritarian powers are becoming more aligned.
![BBC HomepageSkip to contentAccessibility HelpYour accountNotificationsHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeMore menuMore menuSearch BBCHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeCBBCCBeebiesFoodClose menuBBC NewsMenuHomeIsrael-Gaza warCost of LivingWar in UkraineClimateUKWorldBusinessPoliticsCultureMoreTechScienceHealthFamily & EducationIn PicturesNewsbeatBBC VerifyDisabilityWorldAfricaAsiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastUS & CanadaEurope and US need each other, Nato chief Stoltenberg saysPublished2 minutes agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingRelated TopicsWar in UkraineImage source, ReutersImage caption, Jens Stoltenberg said that the Nato alliance “must be doing something right” as it had grown from 12 countries to 32 in 75 yearsBy Laura GozziBBC NewsEurope and the US need each other and are “stronger together”, the secretary-general of Nato has said. Jens Stoltenberg was speaking at a ceremony marking the alliance’s 75th anniversary.While the US provided Europe with security, he said it also needed the militaries, intelligence and diplomatic leverage of its European allies.”I don’t believe in America alone just as I don’t believe in Europe alone,” Mr Stoltenberg said.”I believe in America and Europe together in Nato, because we are stronger and safer together.”The Nato chief’s remarks came as the alliance considered a €100bn (£86bn) five-year fund to provide long-term military support for Ukraine, so aid to Kyiv is not jeopardised by political changes either in the US or other Nato states.A US package worth $60bn (£47bn) has been stalled in Congress for months because of resistance from Republican lawmakers, as well as Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, who has spoken of ending the war “in one day”.During his speech, Mr Stoltenberg said Nato must be “doing something right”, as it had grown from 12 countries at its inception to 32. Its newest members Sweden and Finland abandoned their neutrality and joined the alliance as a result of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said in response to the speech that relations between Russia and Nato had “slid to the level of direct confrontation” as the alliance was already “involved” in the conflict around Ukraine. Russia’s neighbours urge Nato allies to bring back military service Although Nato is a defensive alliance Mr Peskov alleged it “was conceived, configured, created and controlled by the US as a tool of confrontation” and was now a “destabilising element”.The 32-member alliance has agreed to initiate planning for long-term military support for Ukraine. Several countries have only backed the initiative in theory. Hungary, which has kept close ties with Russia, has warned it will not back “any Nato proposals proposals that might draw the alliance closer to war or shift it from a defensive to an offensive coalition”. The Hungarian government has long sought to distance itself from international initiatives to fund Ukraine’s fight against Russia, and for a period blocked a EU plan to provide a €50bn (£43bn) aid package for Ukraine.Mr Stoltenberg acknowledged the framework of support was yet to be decided, but said Nato foreign ministers had agreed on the principle: “Make no mistake, Ukraine can rely on Nato support now and for the long haul.”US Secretary of State Antony Blinken told reporters support for Ukraine within the alliance is “rock solid” and that he believes Ukraine will eventually become a member of Nato, Reuters reported.Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba told reporters at Nato headquarters that while he did not want to “spoil [Nato]’s birthday party”, his country needed help in improving its air defences – specifically Patriot missiles.”Saving Ukrainian lives, saving the Ukrainian economy and saving Ukrainian cities depends on the availability of Patriots and other air defence systems,” Mr Kuleba said. Lacking air superiority and faced with formidable Russian defences, Ukraine’s counter-offensive ground to a halt last year and is now at risk of being outgunned on the front line in the east. The US has given Ukraine more financial aid than any other Nato state- more than $44bn (£34bn) since the 2022 invasion, according to the White House in December. However, its aid has now become caught up in a political row months before the presidential election.Republican candidate Donald Trump has often criticised the level of spending. He has also long complained that the US has shouldered a greater financial burden than the rest of the alliance. Fewer than two-thirds of Nato members are on course to reach their 2% funding goal.Highlighting the importance of Nato’s European allies to the US, Mr Stoltenberg noted it was America’s allies that came to its help after the 9/11 attacks in 2001. That was the only occasion that a key principle of the alliance has been invoked, in which an attack on one ally is seen as an attack on all.Nato allies closest to Russia have stepped up efforts to boost their armed forces. Norway is increasing its number of conscripted soldiers, while Denmark says it intends to extend conscription to women and increase the duration of service. Latvia and Sweden recently restarted military service, while Lithuania brought it back after Russia’s annexation of Crimea in 2014.Norway is increasing the number of conscripted soldiers, while Denmark says it intends to extend conscription to women and increase the duration of service. Latvia and Sweden recently restarted military service, while Lithuania brought it back after Russia’s annexation of Crimea in 2014.Related TopicsWar in UkraineRussiaUkraineMore on this storyWhat is Nato and why has Sweden joined?Published11 MarchRussia’s neighbours urge Nato allies to bring back military servicePublished15 hours agoNato says Trump comments ‘undermine all of our security’Published11 FebruaryTop StoriesLive. Biden tells Netanyahu US support to depend on Israel easing Gaza sufferingGPS disabled as Israel raises alert over Iran threatPublished1 hour agoEx-MP shocked to be targeted by honeytrap attemptPublished3 hours agoFeaturesDetective’s promise to murdered PC’s husbandFears for Gazans as aid groups halt work over air strike’The walls were crumbling’ – escaping Taiwan’s earthquakeListen: ‘Radical rethink’ needed in NHS on autism and ADHD. 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![BBC HomepageSkip to contentAccessibility HelpYour accountLiveNotificationsHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeMore menuMore menuSearch BBCHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeCBBCCBeebiesFoodClose menuBBC NewsMenuHomeIsrael-Gaza warCost of LivingWar in UkraineClimateUKWorldBusinessPoliticsCultureMoreTechScienceHealthFamily & EducationIn PicturesNewsbeatBBC VerifyDisabilityWorldAfricaAsiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastUS & CanadaNato allies reject Emmanuel Macron idea of troops to UkrainePublished5 minutes agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingRelated TopicsWar in UkraineImage source, Getty ImagesBy Lipika Pelham & Lou NewtonBBC NewsSeveral Nato countries, including the US, Germany and the UK, have ruled out deploying ground troops to Ukraine, after French President Emmanuel Macron said “nothing should be excluded”.Mr Macron said there was “no consensus” on sending Western soldiers to Ukraine.Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov has warned of direct conflict if Nato troops deploy there.Russian forces have recently made gains in Ukraine and Kyiv has urgently appealed for more weapons.Mr Macron told a news conference on Monday evening: “We should not exclude that there might be a need for security that then justifies some elements of deployment.”But I’ve told you very clearly what France maintains as its position, which is a strategic ambiguity that I stand by.”The French leader was speaking in Paris, which is hosting a crisis meeting in support of Ukraine, attended by heads of European states, as well as the US and Canada.A full-scale invasion of Ukraine launched by Russian President Vladimir Putin is now in its third year, with no signs that the biggest war in Europe since World War Two could end soon.Mr Macron’s comments prompted responses from other European and Nato member countries.US President Joe Biden believes the “path to victory” is providing military aid “so Ukrainian troops have the weapons and ammunition they need to defend themselves”, a statement said.”President Biden has been clear that the US will not send troops to fight in Ukraine,” it added.German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said there had been no change to the agreed position that no European country or Nato member state would send troops to Ukraine.UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s spokesman said the country had no plans for a large-scale military deployment to Ukraine, beyond the small number of personnel already training Ukrainian forces. The office of Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said Italy’s “support does not include the presence of troops from European or Nato states on Ukrainian territory”.Mr Peskov, on behalf of the Kremlin, called Mr Macron’s suggestion “a very important new element” adding it was absolutely not in the interests of Nato members. “In that case, we would need to talk not about the probability, but about the inevitability [of direct conflict],” he said.Earlier, Nato secretary general Jens Stoltenberg denied considering whether troops would be sent to Ukraine, although he insisted the alliance would continue to support Ukraine, which is not a Nato member.That position has been echoed by a number of Nato member states including Spain, Poland and the Czech Republic. Russia has an abundance of artillery and is a far bigger military force than Ukraine, whose troops are critically dependent on modern weapons being provided by Western allies, particularly the US.But the approval of a much needed $95bn (£75bn; €69bn) US aid package – including $60bn for Ukraine – has been facing an uphill battle in the US House of Representatives.The US is by far the largest contributor of military aid to Ukraine and had committed €42.2bn (£36bn; $45bn) as of 15 January, Kiel Institute data showed.Germany ranks second with commitments of €17.7bn in the same time period, followed by the UK which provided €9.1bn of military aid.Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who took part in Monday’s meeting in Paris by video link, said that “everything we do together to defend against Russian aggression adds real security to our nations for decades to come”.How significant are Russia’s recent gains on the battlefront? Listen to the latest episode of Ukrainecast on BBC SoundsRelated TopicsWar in UkraineFranceEmmanuel MacronNatoUkraineMore on this storyZelensky says 31,000 troops killed in war in UkrainePublished2 days agoTwo years into Russia’s invasion, exhausted Ukrainians refuse to give upPublished3 days agoZelensky insists Ukraine will win on war anniversaryPublished2 days agoRosenberg: How two years of war have changed RussiaPublished5 days agoUkraine war in maps: Russia makes limited advancesPublished6 days agoBiden assures Zelensky US will send $60bn in aidPublished18 FebruaryShell shortages force us to limit firing, Ukrainian troops tell BBCPublished14 December 2023Top StoriesPost Office boss under investigation, claims ex-chairPublished1 hour agoPrince William pulls out of memorial service due to ‘personal matter’Published5 hours agoFour of couple’s children taken into carePublished1 hour agoFeatures’Who will call me Dad?’ Tears of Gaza father who lost 103 relativesWhy firms are racing to produce green ammoniaSecondary school places: What parents need to knowWalkers spot ‘breathtaking’ cloud inversionsThe young refusing to become Myanmar’s ‘human shields’Hear the fish louder than a jackhammer. 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![BBC HomepageSkip to contentAccessibility HelpYour accountLiveNotificationsHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeMore menuMore menuSearch BBCHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeCBBCCBeebiesFoodClose menuBBC NewsMenuHomeIsrael-Gaza warCost of LivingWar in UkraineClimateUKWorldBusinessPoliticsCultureMoreTechScienceHealthFamily & EducationIn PicturesNewsbeatBBC VerifyDisabilityWorldAfricaAsiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastUS & CanadaUkraine war: ‘Artificial shortage’ of weapons helps Putin, says ZelenskyPublished2 hours agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingRelated TopicsWar in UkraineImage source, ReutersImage caption, There are fears that the lack of ammunition is affecting performance as well as morale in Ukrainian ranksBy Paulin KolaBBC NewsUkraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky has made an urgent appeal for more weapons to avoid a “catastrophic” situation in Europe.An “artificial deficit of weapons” will only help Russia, Mr Zelensky told an international conference in Germany.Ukrainian troops have been running out of ammunition as vital US support has been held up by supporters of former President Donald Trump in Congress.Mr Zelensky said he was prepared to tour the front lines with Mr Trump.”If Mr Trump will come, I am ready to go with him to the front line. What does it mean, the real war, not Instagram, the real war,” the Ukrainian president said.US Vice-President Kamala Harris, however, repeated assurances of support to Kyiv.The US “can’t play political games” over the military aid, she said at a joint news conference with Mr Zelensky at the Munich Security Conference.The gathering of world leaders and senior defence officials comes one week before the two-year anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.Before Mr Zelensky spoke, his top military commander said Ukrainian troops had withdrawn from Avdiivka, a key city in eastern Ukraine, marking one of Russia’s biggest military victories for months.The president told delegates Ukrainian efforts were “limited only by the sufficiency and length of range of our strength”.This video can not be playedTo play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser.Media caption, “I will die here”: Evacuation “angels” help front-line town’s last residents flee”Keeping Ukraine in the artificial deficits of weapons, particularly in deficit of artillery and long-range capabilities allows Putin to adapt to the current intensity of the war,” he said.”Ukrainians have proven that we can force Russia to retreat,” he said. “We can get our land back.”He went on to warn that the Russian leader would make the next few years “catastrophic” for many more countries if the Western world did not stand up to him.”Do not ask Ukraine when the war will end. Ask yourself, why is Putin still able to continue it?” Mr Zelensky told the conference.Is Russia turning the tide in Ukraine?What weapons are being supplied to Ukraine?Ukraine is critically dependent on weapons supplies from the US and other Western allies to keep fighting Russia – a much bigger military force with an abundance of artillery ammunition.UK Foreign Secretary David Cameron said help for Ukraine from the UK, the EU and the US would make a “real difference” to the fight against Russia.But earlier this week, the US Senate approved a $95bn (£75bn) foreign aid package – including $60bn for Ukraine – after months of political wrangling, but it faces an uphill battle in the House of Representatives, where members of the Republican Party who are loyal to Mr Trump seem unwilling to pass the measure.Outgoing Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte told the Munich conference Europe should help Ukraine more because it was in its interests, and stop “all that whining and moaning about Trump”.Nato Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said a Putin victory in Ukraine was “not only a tragedy for the Ukrainians but it sends not only a message to Putin but also to [Chinese President] Xi [Jinping], that when they use military force, they get what they want. So what happens in Ukraine today and can happen in Taiwan tomorrow. And therefore I strongly believe that it’s a good deal for the United States to support Ukraine. It’s not charity, it’s an investment into their own security.” Related TopicsWar in UkraineRussiaUkraineMore on this storyUkraine troops pull out of key eastern town AvdiivkaPublished7 hours agoIs Russia turning the tide in Ukraine?Published9 hours agoUkraine battles frostbite and shell shortage in ruined townPublished2 days agoNothing but rubble: Ukraine’s shattered ghost town AvdiivkaPublished30 JanuaryFull cemeteries and empty homes: Ukrainians struggle to endurePublished3 days agoThe Ukrainians ‘disappearing’ in Russia’s prisonsPublished7 days agoTop StoriesLive. 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![BBC HomepageSkip to contentAccessibility HelpYour accountLiveNotificationsHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeMore menuMore menuSearch BBCHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeCBBCCBeebiesFoodClose menuBBC NewsMenuHomeIsrael-Gaza warCost of LivingWar in UkraineClimateUKWorldBusinessPoliticsCultureMoreTechScienceHealthFamily & EducationIn PicturesNewsbeatBBC VerifyDisabilityWorldAfricaAsiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastUS & CanadaAvdiivka: Ukraine troops leaving embattled eastern townPublished20 minutes agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingRelated TopicsWar in UkraineImage source, RL/SERHII NUZHNENKO/ReutersImage caption, Avdiivka has been almost completely destroyed during months of fierce fightingBy Jaroslav LukivBBC NewsUkraine’s military says it is withdrawing its troops from Avdiivka – the key eastern town besieged by Russian forces.Ukraine’s Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi said he acted “to avoid encirclement and preserve the lives and health of service personnel”.He added that the troops were being moved to “more favourable lines”.Avdiivka – a gateway to the Russian-seized city of Donetsk – has been engulfed in fierce fighting for months.The town – which has been almost completely destroyed – has been on the front line since 2014, when Russian-backed fighters seized large swathes of the eastern Donetsk and Luhansk regions.The fall of Avdiivka marks the biggest change on the more than 1,000km-long (620-mile) front line since Russian troops seized the nearby town of Bakhmut in May 2023.Russian President Vladimir Putin launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine on 24 February 2022.Ukraine battles frostbite and shell shortage in ruined town Nothing but rubble: Ukraine’s shattered ghost town AvdiivkaIn a statement on Facebook early on Saturday, Gen Col Syrskyi said his decision was based on “the operational situation around Avdiivka”.”Our soldiers performed their military duty with dignity, did everything possible to destroy the best Russian military units, inflicted significant losses on the enemy in terms of manpower and equipment.”Gen Syrskyi – who was only appointed as the country’s top commander a few days ago – said Ukrainian troops were “taking measures to stabilise the situation and maintain our positions.This video can not be playedTo play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser.Media caption, “I will die here”: Evacuation “angels” help front-line town’s last residents fleeUS National Security Council spokesman John Kirby had earlier warned that Avdiivka was “at risk of falling into Russian control”.He said this was largely “because the Ukrainian forces on the ground are running out of artillery ammunition”.”Russia is sending wave after wave of conscript forces to attack Ukrainian positions,” he said. “And because Congress has yet to pass the supplemental bill, we have not been able to provide Ukraine with the artillery shells that they desperately need to disrupt these Russian assaults.”Earlier this week, the US Senate approved a $95bn (£75bn) foreign aid package – including $60bn for Ukraine – after months of political wrangling, but it faces an uphill battle in the House of Representatives.Ukraine is critically dependent on weapons supplies from the US and other Western allies to keep fighting Russia – a much bigger military force with an abundance of artillery ammunition.Nato Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg warned on Thursday that the US failure to approve continued military assistance to Ukraine was already having an impact on the battlefield.Russian troops have been making significant gains in Avdiivka recently, threatening to encircle it.Some Ukrainian soldiers privately admitted the town could fall at any moment.”We’re upset,” Ukrainian officer Oleksii, from Ukraine’s 110th Mechanised Brigade in the Avdiivka area, told the BBC earlier this week, standing beside a huge mobile artillery piece as Russian guns boomed in the distance.”Currently we have two shells, but we have no [explosive] charges for them… so we can’t fire them. As of now, we have run out of shells,” said Oleksii. Related TopicsWar in UkraineRussiaUkraineMore on this storyUkraine battles frostbite and shell shortage in ruined townPublished1 day agoNothing but rubble: Ukraine’s shattered ghost town AvdiivkaPublished30 JanuaryFull cemeteries and empty homes: Ukrainians struggle to endurePublished2 days agoThe Ukrainians ‘disappearing’ in Russia’s prisonsPublished7 days agoTop StoriesLive. ‘Putin is responsible’ – Biden speaks out after report of Navalny’s deathNavalny was often asked: ‘Do you fear for your life?’Published6 hours agoTrump ordered to pay $354m in New York fraud casePublished11 hours agoFeaturesThe Papers: Putin ‘must pay for Navalny’ and Harry reaches outAlexei Navalny: What we know about reports of his deathArrested and poisoned: See Navalny’s moments of defiance. VideoArrested and poisoned: See Navalny’s moments of defianceChris Mason: Tory gloom deepens after double poll blowTwo by-elections, two Labour wins… in two minutes. 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![BBC HomepageSkip to contentAccessibility HelpYour accountLiveNotificationsHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeMore menuMore menuSearch BBCHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeCBBCCBeebiesFoodClose menuBBC NewsMenuHomeIsrael-Gaza warCost of LivingWar in UkraineClimateUKWorldBusinessPoliticsCultureMoreTechScienceHealthFamily & EducationIn PicturesNewsbeatBBC VerifyDisabilityWorldAfricaAsiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastUS & CanadaUkraine Russia war: US warns Avdiivka could fallPublished3 hours agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingRelated TopicsWar in UkraineThis video can not be playedTo play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser.Media caption, “I will die here”: Evacuation “angels” help front-line town’s last residents fleeBy Jaroslav LukivBBC NewsThe US has warned that Russia could seize Ukraine’s key eastern town of Avdiivka – the scene of some of the fiercest fighting in recent months. “Avdiivka is at risk of falling into Russian control,” National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said, citing Ukraine’s ammunition shortages. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky vowed to do everything to “save as many Ukrainian lives as possible”.Russian troops have made gains in Avdiivka, threatening to encircle it.The town – which has been almost completely destroyed – is seen as a gateway to nearby Donetsk, the regional Ukrainian capital seized by Russian-backed fighters in 2014 and later illegitimately annexed by Moscow.Russian President Vladimir Putin launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine on 24 February 2022.Ukraine battles frostbite and shell shortage in ruined town Nothing but rubble: Ukraine’s shattered ghost town AvdiivkaAt Thursday’s briefing in Washington, Mr Kirby said Avdiivka could fall largely “because the Ukrainian forces on the ground are running out of artillery ammunition”.”Russia is sending wave after wave of conscript forces to attack Ukrainian positions,” he said. “And because Congress has yet to pass the supplemental bill, we have not been able to provide Ukraine with the artillery shells that they desperately need to disrupt these Russian assaults.”Russian forces are now reaching Ukrainian trenches in Avdiivka, and they’re beginning to overwhelm Ukrainian defences.”Earlier this week, the US Senate approved a $95bn (£75bn) foreign aid package – including $60bn for Ukraine – after months of political wrangling, but it faces an uphill battle in the House of Representatives.Ukraine is critically dependent on weapons supplies from the US and other Western allies to be able to continue fighting Russia – a much bigger military force with an abundance of artillery ammunition.Nato Secretary General Jen Stoltenberg warned on Thursday that the US failure to approve continued military assistance to Ukraine was already having an impact on the battlefield.Image source, ReutersImage caption, Smoke rises over an industrial site in Avdiivka on ThursdayIn his video address late on Thursday, President Zelensky said: “We are doing everything we can to ensure that our warriors have enough managerial and technological capabilities to save as many Ukrainian lives as possible.”On Friday, Mr Zelensky is visiting Berlin and Paris where is expected to sign security pacts with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and French President Emmanuel Macron.A similar agreement on security co-operation was signed between Ukraine and the UK in January.Late on Thursday, Ukrainian General Oleksandr Tarnavsky admitted that “fierce battles” were taking place “within” Avdiivka.”We value every piece of Ukrainian land, but the highest value and priority for us is the preservation of the life of a Ukrainian soldier,” he said.Earlier in the day, Ukraine’s military spokesman Dmytro Lykhoviy acknowledged that Ukrainian troops in Avdiivka were being forced to “sometimes move to more advantageous positions… in some places leaving positions”.Some Ukrainian soldiers have privately admitted the town could fall at any moment.”We’re upset,” Ukrainian officer Oleksii, from Ukraine’s 110th Mechanised Brigade in the Avdiivka area, told the BBC earlier this week, standing beside a huge mobile artillery piece as Russian guns boomed in the distance.”Currently we have two shells, but we have no [explosive] charges for them… so we can’t fire them. As of now, we have run out of shells,” said Oleksii. He suggested that the shortages were widespread and having a dramatic impact on the fighting in Avdiivka.”We feel a very strong responsibility for our guys fighting right now in the town, armed only with assault rifles.”Ukraine’s newly appointed commander-in-chief, Oleksandr Syrskyi, visited the frontline in the Avdiivka area this week, acknowledging that the situation there was “difficult”.He said the Russian military did not “count losses”, using its troops as cannon fodder.Kyiv says an elite Ukrainian brigade has now been sent to Avdiivka and reserve artillery has been deployed.In unverified reports, Russian military bloggers said on Thursday that a key Ukrainian defence position in southern Avdiivka – known as Zenit – was now under Moscow’s control.Related TopicsWar in UkraineRussiaUkraineMore on this storyUkraine battles frostbite and shell shortage in ruined townPublished15 hours agoNothing but rubble: Ukraine’s shattered ghost town AvdiivkaPublished30 JanuaryFull cemeteries and empty homes: Ukrainians struggle to endurePublished1 day agoThe Ukrainians ‘disappearing’ in Russia’s prisonsPublished6 days agoTop StoriesLive. 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