Ukraine updates: 'Fierce' fighting continues in Avdiivka

The Ukrainian military says it is preparing new positions around Avdiivka as fierce fighting continues in the besieged city. Meanwhile, Volodymyr Zelenskyy is set to visit Germany and France. Follow DW for the latest.

Ukrainian soldiers continue to defend semi-encircled Avdiivka

The Ukrainian military said there was fierce fighting in the besieged frontline town of Avdiivka. It said it was preparing new positions around the industrial hub as Russia stepped up attacks.

“Fierce battles are taking place within the city,” Oleksandr Tarnavskiy, a senior Ukrainian commander responsible for forces in the east of the country, said on social media.

“New positions have been prepared and powerful fortifications continue to be prepared, taking into account all possible scenarios,” he added.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will meet with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Friday before heading to Paris. He is expected to sign security agreements with both Germany and France.

Here’s a look at the latest developments in Russia’s war in Ukraine on Friday, February 16.

EU must double military aid to Ukraine to compensate for possible US pullout, report says

The European Union would need to double its military funding to Ukraine to fill a gap left by a possible US withdrawal, the Germany-based Kiel Institute for the World Economy (IfW) said in its new report.

“It is highly uncertain whether the US will send further military aid in 2024,” the reserachers said in report on the state of play of military, financial and humanitarian aid to the war-battered country since the Russian invasion on February 24, 2022.

As of January 15, the United States has pledged military aid to Ukraine worth €42.2 billion ($45.4 billion) between February 2022 and December 2023. That is about 2 billion per month.

The EU has pledged €49.7 billion in military aid since the start of the war. So far, however, only €35.2 billion have been allocated.

“Europe will have to at least double its current military support efforts in case there is no further support from the United States,” said Christoph Trebesch, head of the Ukraine Support Tracker and Research Director at the Kiel Institute.

“This is a challenge, but just a question of political will. The EU countries are among the richest in the world and so far they have spent not even one percent of their 2021 GDP to support Ukraine.”

The halt in US military aid to Ukraine comes as the 2024 presidential election gears up as Donald Trump appears set to cruise to the Republican party nomination.

Zelenskyy to sign security agreements in Germany, France

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is scheduled to meet with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Friday as he makes his second official visit to Germany since the start of the full-scale Russian invasion of his country.

Scholz and Zelenskyy are expected to sign a long-term security agreement. The Ukrainian leader will also meet with President Frank-Walter Steinmeier in Berlin before traveling to Paris, where he is scheduled to meet with President Emmanuel Macron.

The two leaders are also expected to sign a bilateral security agreement. The agreements follow a decision by NATO leaders at their summit in Vilnius in July.

Britain led the way with a 10-year agreement which states that London will support Ukraine now and in any future conflicts with Russia. Other NATO members are expected to follow.

On Saturday, Zelenskyy will address the Munich Security Conference, where he will also hold bilateral meetings with world leaders.

Ukraine says ‘fierce’ fighting continues inside Avdiivka

The Ukrainian military said there was fierce fighting in the besieged frontline town of Avdiivka in the eastern Donetsk region. It said it was preparing new positions around the industrial hub as Russia stepped up attacks.

“Fierce battles are taking place within the city,” Oleksandr Tarnavskiy, a senior Ukrainian commander responsible for forces in the east of the country, said on social media.

“New positions have been prepared and powerful fortifications continue to be prepared, taking into account all possible scenarios,” he added.

The announcement came a day after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Kyiv would do “everything” to save lives in the symbolic city, which is surrounded on three sides by Russian forces.

Meanwhile, Ukraine’s army said on social media that it was reinforcing troops who were “standing their ground” in Avdiivka. “According to the decision made, the scheduled reinforcement of units is underway and troops are maneuvring on threatened axes,” Ukraine’s army said.

Russia has been trying to capture Avdiivka for months. The fall of Avdiivka would be a significant symbolic victory for Russia.

dh/dj (AP, AFP, dpa, Reuters)