UPDATE - Zelenskyy says Ukrainian troops left embattled eastern city to avoid losses

UPDATES WITH ZELENSKYY'S QUOTES

By Elena Teslova

MOSCOW (AA) - Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Saturday that this weekend’s decision to retreat from the eastern city of Avdiivka was taken to avoid human losses and due to a lack of ammunition.

"It was a professional decision that will save many Ukrainian lives ... It is important for us to save the lives of our soldiers," he stressed about the withdrawal from the city in Donetsk, speaking at the Munich Security Conference in Germany.

"We are just waiting for more weapons that we are short of, we are short of it, I am telling you frankly," he said.

Zelenskyy also pushed for countries to give Ukraine longer-range weapons, saying when Ukraine is given these it will depend less on the actions of the troops.

"Our actions are only limited by sufficiency and by the length of the range of our strength. But that what does not depend on us. And Avdiivka situation proves this. ... We don’t have long-range weapons, Russia has it and we have too little of them," he said.

Zelensky urged for more air-defense systems, saying that "once Ukraine unblocks the sky" it will not only push Russia back but this will also allow it repatriate "millions of Ukrainians."

"We expect to see what has been promised, what we have agreed upon. ... Where we had our air defense systems people would come back, they will bring back the economy to a certain town or city. … Where we have air defense systems Russia will immediately move back because otherwise it will lose its aircraft," he said.

Avdiivka, located 13 kilometers (8 miles) north of Donetsk, is an important transport and logistics hub, including for supplying weapons to Ukrainian troops.

Fighting for Avdiivka has been ongoing since 2014, in separatist battles preceding the current Russia-Ukraine war, which began nearly two years ago.

It has been hotly contested for its strategic position, situated on the way from the cities of Donetsk to Ukraine's strongholds of Kostiantynivka, Kramatorsk and Sloviansk, and battles for the city have pulled Ukrainian troops from other places.

In addition, Avdiivka and its surroundings formed a protrusion of the territory controlled by Ukraine, deep into territory controlled by Russia.

- 'Surprise Russia with drones'

He also promised "to surprise Russia" later this year with new drone systems and electronic warfare.

"I’m sure what is positive for us is negative for Russia, we will be able to surprise them this year with our drone systems ... we are expecting assistance from our partners," he said.

Zelensky declined to answer directly about the new military draft, lowering the conscription age from 25 to 27, saying that if some people are tired of the battlefield, "they may have rest whenever they want."

"It is a question about how fair recruitment should be and also the question of rotation of people who are very tired at the frontline. Any person ... if you are tired, if you have to go back, you have to rest, than somebody else will replace you," he said.

Zelesnkyy refused to speak publicly about debates in the US parliament over a bill, allocating a $60-million aid to Ukraine, noting that the US "did a lot for Ukraine."

The Ukrainian president also invited US presidential hopeful Donald Trump to visit Ukraine, adding that if Trump wants, he can even take him to the frontline.

"I invited him publicly but it depends on his wishes. ... If Mr. Trump comes I am ready to go with him to the frontline. I think if we are in dialogue how to finish the war, we have to demonstrate people who are decisionmakers," he said.

Asked about his expectations on Ukraine's NATO accession, Zelenskyy said, “It would be a fair thing to do," but added that a series of bilateral security guarantees with countries such as the UK, Germany and France would also help.

"As to the invitation to join NATO, that is our goal, our goal is to become a NATO member state. I believe that we deserve that. ... I think it would be a fair thing to do. We will do our best to make sure that Ukraine is becoming close to the alliance," he said.