MUNICH (AP) Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy warned allies Saturday that an artificial deficit of arms for his country risks giving Russia breathing space, highlighting the need for artillery and long-range weapons after his military chief said he was withdrawing troops from the eastern city of Avdiivka.

Zelenskyy spoke to the Munich Security Conference, an annual gathering of security and foreign policy officials. Ukraine is back on the defensive against Russia in the nearly 2-year-old war , hindered by low ammunition supplies and a shortage of personnel.

Ukrainians have proven that we can force Russia to retreat, he said. We can get our land back, and (Russian President Vladimir) Putin can lose, and this has already happened more than once on the battlefield.