The Russian invasion

The Russian invasion|The response of the outside world
Threats, disavowals and tributes after Macron's outburst: "A good sign"

That France's Emmanuel Macron opened the door to Western troops in Ukraine arouses anger in Russia and hope in Ukraine.

Ukrainian presidential adviser Mychajlo Podoljak sees the statement as "a good sign".

- Macron now shows a deep understanding of the risks that the war in Ukraine poses for Europe, he says according to AFP.

At the same time, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov warns that Western troops in Ukraine would lead to "inevitable" war between Russia and NATO.

Neither the US nor other EU countries seem to want to end up behind Macron.

- President Biden has been clear that the United States will not send troops to fight in Ukraine, says National Security Council spokesperson Adrienne Watson.

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Ministers defend Macron: May be about demining

Two French ministers in Emmanuel Macron's government are defending the president's statement that he does not exclude troops from the West on Ukrainian soil.

- Saying that we are not ruling anything out is neither weak nor escalating, says Defense Minister Sébasien Lecornu according to CNN.

According to Foreign Minister Stéphane Séjourné, there are various tasks that the Western military can perform in Ukraine without "crossing the threshold of becoming a combatant".

It could, for example, be about mine clearance, weapons manufacturing and cyber operations, says the minister according to AFP.om

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Analysis: Macron's words could jeopardize the unity of the West

That Emmanuel Macron opened up to soldiers from the West in Ukraine is a significant development, writes Dominic Waghorn for Sky News.

He addresses a word of warning to the president: in war, words carry weight, and the Russians have in recent weeks trumpeted the message that the fortunes of war have now irreversibly turned in their favor.

"Russia's enemies and those who support Ukraine must fight against that narrative. They must insist that the Western alliance is not weak and about to collapse in the face of relentless Russian military might.”

Macron went against the prevailing view that troops from the West in Ukraine would be a big step towards war between NATO and Russia, write three commentators for Reuters.

His words may prove to be prescient — a foretaste of more direct Western involvement in the war at some point in the future, they continue.

"But they also risk undermining the very thing Macron wanted to strengthen with the Paris meeting: unity among Ukraine's allies in the West at a time when Kyiv's forces are struggling to withstand Russian troops two years into the war."

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Border policy in the United States
US President: Prioritizes the border over Ukraine

The Republicans in Congress are adamant that they will not proceed with support for Ukraine without migration policy reforms with a focus on the Mexican border.

That was the message from House of Representatives Speaker Mike Johnson after fruitless talks with Joe Biden on Tuesday, according to AFP.

Johnson states that they are "actively seeking" a solution for new aid to Ukraine, but adds:

- The border is our country's top priority.

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The Russian Invasion|The Battles
ISW: Russia now has the strategic upper hand

Russia now has the strategic advantage on the entire Ukrainian front. This is what the think tank ISW writes in its latest status report.

With Ukraine on the defensive, the Russians can take the time they need to reinforce troops and launch new offensives when, how and on what scale they want, writes the think tank.

This is reflected in Volodymyr Zelensky's statement that Russia is now preparing a new offensive, intended to be launched in early summer or summer, according to ISW.

"Ukrainian forces can take these capabilities away from Russia if they are given sufficient means to challenge Russian dominance and launch offensive operations themselves in 2024."

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Russia captures two villages near Avdijivka

Russian forces have captured two villages near Avdijivka, Ukrainian military spokesman Dmytro Lychovyj said, according to Reuters.

- Our forces were forced to withdraw from the small villages of Sievjerne and Stepove [...] heavy fighting for Sievjerne took place last night and during the night, he says.

The Russian forces also suffered heavy losses in the fighting, he adds. Both villages had fewer than 100 inhabitants before the invasion.
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