TANKS

The United States is still "a ways away" from any possible decision on whether to re-introduce U.S. troops into Ukraine, General Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said on Monday, even as he acknowledged low-level planning underway.

President Joe Biden decided to withdraw American troops from Ukraine before Russia's Feb. 24 invasion in order to avoid a direct conflict with a nuclear-armed adversary.

EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said on Friday the bloc would provide a further 500 millions euros worth of military support to Ukraine and that he was confident a deal could be reached in the coming days to agree an embargo on Russian oil.

Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the G7 foreign ministers meeting in northern Germany, Borrell said the military support would be for heavy weapons such as tanks and artillery and take the bloc's aid to about 2 billion euros.