Macron says Russian defeat in Ukraine vital for security in Europe

BBC News:

French President Emmanuel Macron has said it is key for Europe’s security to defeat Russia in Ukraine, amid urgent pleas for more weapons from Kyiv.

He was speaking in Paris where he said that European leaders had agreed to set up a coalition to give Ukraine medium- and long-range missiles and bombs.

He added that there was “no consensus” on sending Western troops to Ukraine but “nothing should be excluded”.

Russian troops made recent gains in Ukraine which faces big arms shortages.

Kyiv is critically dependent on modern armoury supplies from its Western allies, particularly the US, to be able to continue fighting Russia – a much bigger military force with an abundance of artillery ammunition.

But the approval of a much needed $95bn (£5bn) US aid package faces an uphill battle in the House of Representatives.

Last weekend, Ukraine’s defence minister said half of all Western aid for Kyiv had been delayed, costing lives and territory.

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.