Ukrainian troops resist Russian attack in east

Latest

• Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called on the West to use missile defense systems to protect the civilian population.
• NATO defense ministers meet on Wednesday to discuss arms sales to Ukraine.
• French President Emmanuel Macron said negotiations will be needed when the fighting ends.

Ukrainian forces have been fighting hard to stem Russian advances in the east of the country, while French President Emmanuel Macron has said Kyiv will eventually have to sit down at the negotiating table with Russia.

Ukrainian forces held up in the strategic city of Severodonetsk against repeated Russian attacks, the Ukrainian military said on Wednesday, underscoring the difficulties faced by invading Russian forces in capturing urban centers where their advantage in long-range artillery is less crucial.