Macron Warns of Unprepared Europe, Zelenskyy Meets Hunt Amid Nuclear Steps and Conflict Escalation

In a speech delivered by French President Emmanuel Macron, he warned that Europe is unprepared for its military and economic challenges with the Russia-Ukraine war being identified as the “principal danger” for European security. Macron stressed that without an expansion in defenses across the region there would be grave risks to peace. Additionally, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with British Finance Minister Jeremy Hunt in Kyiv, who reassured his commitment of defense funding to support Ukraine’s battle against Russian invasion. Russia retaliated after Latvia ordered a Russian embassy official out of the country by expelling two diplomats from Latvia. Belarus has also taken steps towards stationing “non-strategic nuclear weapons” across its territory, according to Defense Minister Viktor Khrenin’s statement on Thursday. This comes as NATO member Lithuania denied claims made by a Russian security service head that pseudo groups in the region were allegedly undermining Belarus. As Ukraine received billions of dollars worth of military funding from Western allies, including long-range ATACMS missiles provided by President Joe Biden’s administration, Russia vowed to respond with measures against US and Western opponents as well as diplomatic actions if assets are confiscated for supporting Ukraine militarily.
While western officials like UK ambassador in Kiev, Bridget Blinken praised the provision of long-range ATACMS missiles to Ukraine claiming they reinforce Biden’s pledge regarding commitment toward supporting Ukraine, Russians warn that such measures would fail to defeat Russian forces and will only create additional problems for Kyiv. Additionally, Russia’s ambassador in Washington accused US officials of attempting to drive a wedge between Moscow and Beijing while U.S Secretary of State Antony Blinken embarks on his trip to China. In the midst of this ongoing conflict, Biden signed into law an aid package providing $60bn worth military support for Ukraine’s war against Russia – including weapons previously thought unattainable. A U.K finance minister Jeremy Hunt stated in Kyiv that there were intentions behind Britain’s decision on a £523m ($678 million) defence-aid package to help the country fight off Russian forces, and he would be meeting Ukrainian prime minster Denys Shmyhal later. During Russia’s war against Ukraine four regions annexed by Moscow in September 2022 – including Zaporizhzhia which houses Europe’s largest nuclear power plant – a drone attack has killed two civilians, according to reports from the Russian-installed official of this region Evgeniy Balitsky. Moreover, U.S President Joe Biden reassured in signing bill that his aid provision to Ukraine marks investment in Ukraine’s and European security as well as US security while Putin vowed that Russia would continue with intensifying attacks against Ukrainian weapons procurement from the West.