Joe Biden on Friday warned Congress that Russian forces are making gains while they are on holiday refusing to back his $60 billion (£42 billion) military aid package for Ukraine.

The US president also said that Vladimir Putin would continue on his path of destruction unless he “does not pay the price”, as the White House unveiled its largest-ever package of sanctions on Moscow in response to the war.

At the same time, David Cameron, the Foreign Secretary, warned the Russian president would “be back for more” if Western governments let war fatigue set in and allow his military to succeed in Ukraine.

As Ukraine marks the second anniversary of Russia’s invasion on Saturday, Russia is advancing across much of the 600-mile front line.

Last week, Moscow’s troops seized the eastern city of Avdiivka, as Kyiv was forced to abandon its defensive positions in part because of ammunition shortages sparked by the lack of US aid.

Mr Biden told a meeting of the National Governors Association at the White House: “Let me be clear, the House of Representatives must pass the bipartisan national security bill. The bill provides urgent funding for Ukraine and if the Speaker called for a vote in the House it would pass easily today. Instead, they went on vacation.

“Look folks, all kidding aside, history’s watching, the clock is ticking. Brave Ukrainian soldiers and civilians are dying. Russia has taken Ukraine territory for the first time in many months.

“But here in America, the Speaker gave the house a two-week vacation, they have to come back. They have to come back and get this done. Because failure to support Ukraine in this critical moment will never be forgotten in history.”

The Senate has approved a $95 billion war chest for US foreign assistance, which includes the Ukrainian aid.

But Speaker Mike Johnson sent the House of Representatives on recess without putting the spending bill up to a vote.

Andrew Bates, the White House’s deputy press secretary, accused Mr Johnson of “appeasing” Iran through his refusal to sanction a vote in a memo, the Reuters news agency reported on Friday.

Washington has not delivered any military aid to Ukraine since previously agreed spending caps dried up in December last year.

With future support still snarled up in political disagreement, the White House turned to a series of sweeping sanctions in a bid to blunt the Russian war machine.

The new measures target more than 500 individuals and entities in Russia and 11 other countries, including the United Arab Emirates and China.

Amongst those hit with the measures were three Russian officials accused of links to the death of Alexei Navalny.

The European Union meanwhile unveiled its 13th package of measures in response to the Russian invasion, targeting nearly 200 people and businesses with travel bans and asset freezes for their roles in helping Russia secure weapons.

The measures came as Russian authorities told Navalny’s mother that he would be buried at the prison unless she agreed to a secret funeral with no public farewell within three hours of receiving the demand.

In an address to the United Nations on Friday, Lord Cameron warned the West to “recognise the cost of giving up” amid signs of dwindling Western support for Kyiv.

“If we do not stand up to Putin, he will be back for more,” the Foreign Secretary said.

After polling released earlier this year suggested a growing number of European voters would back a compromise with Putin, he added: “This is not a man seeking compromise. This is a neo-imperialist bully who believes might is right.

“And an unjust peace now merely invites a return to fighting in Ukraine when it suits.”

But victory for Putin could also extend to the Russian leader’s attempt to “apply his distortions of history elsewhere, such as Moldova or the Baltic states”.