Russia Ukraine war: Western nations vow to send more, bett​er arms to Ukraine

British military intelligence said on Tuesday that Russia was advancing slowly into Ukraine's Luhansk Oblast, adding that the massing of its forces in a small area raised risks for others elsewhere."Progress has been slow but gains are being held. Routes into the pocket likely remain under Ukrainian control," Britain's Ministry of Defence said in a Twitter update."Russia has achieved greater local successes than earlier in the campaign by massing forces and fires in a relatively small area. This forces Russia to accept risk elsewhere in occupied territory."

Danish energy company Orsted warned Monday Russia could cut gas supplies to Denmark soon after it refused to pay in rubles, adding that gas could still be secured through the European market. Orsted, formerly dong Energy, insisted it would continue to pay for gas deliveries from Russia in euros and that the payment deadline was May 31. "Gazprom Export continues to demand that Orsted pays for gas supplies in rubles. We have no legal obligation under the contract to do so, and we have repeatedly informed Gazprom Export that we will not do so," the company said in a statement.

Russian troops pushed farther into a key eastern Ukrainian city and fought street by street with Kyiv's forces Monday in a battle the mayor said has left the city "completely ruined" and driven tends of thousands from their homes. Military analysts painted the battle as part of a race against time for the Kremlin, which they said wants to complete its capture of the industrial Donbas region before more Western arms arrive to bolster Ukraine's defences.

Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez on Monday called for increased military spending in light of the security threat posed by Russia as Spain marked 40 years since joining NATO. "The war in Ukraine has opened the eyes of European society, including in Spain," said Sanchez at a commemorative event at Madrid's Teatro Real attended by King Felipe VI and NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg.

European Union leaders agreed Monday to embargo most Russian oil imports into the bloc by year-end as part of new sanctions on Moscow worked out at a summit focused on helping Ukraine with a long-delayed package of new financial support. The embargo covers Russian oil brought in by sea, allowing a temporary exemption for imports delivered by pipeline, a move that was crucial to bring landlocked Hungary on board a decision that required consensus.

Ukraineian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says the Russian blockade of Ukrainian sea ports prevents Kyiv from exporting 22 million tons of grain. In his nightly address Monday, Zelenskyy said the result is the threat of famine in countries dependent on the grain and could create a new migration crisis. He charges that “this is something the Russian leadership clearly seeks.”

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan held a phone conversation on Monday and discussed the issues of safe navigation in the Black and Azov Seas when discussing Ukraine. "When discussing the situation in Ukraine, the focus was on ensuring safe navigation in the Black and Azov Seas, eliminating the mine threat in their waters," the Kremlin said in a statement. Putin noted Russia's readiness to facilitate the maritime transit of goods in the Black Sea in coordination with Turkish partners.

Russian troops pushed farther into a key eastern Ukrainian city and fought street by street with Kyiv's forces Monday in a battle the mayor said has left the city in ruins and driven tens of thousands of people from their homes. Military analysts painted the fight for Sievierodonetsk as part of a race against time for the Kremlin.

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy urged the EU on Monday to end internal "quarrels" saying they only helped Moscow and asked the bloc to adopt more sanctions against Russia. "All quarrels in Europe must end, internal disputes that only encourage Russia to put more and more pressure on you," Zelenskyy told an EU summit in Brussels via video-link. "It is time for you to be not separate, not fragments, but one whole," he said, calling for a new set of sanctions against Russia, including a ban on Russian oil. EU divisions have slowed the adoption of another sanctions package against Russia, with Hungary saying it will not back an oil embargo against Moscow. "It is clear that there should be progress in sanctions against Russia," Zelenskyy said.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has asked France not to succumb to Russian “blackmail” over food supplies at a meeting with French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna. Zelenskyy’s office says in its summary of the Monday talks that Russia is using food security issues in an attempt to have international sanctions eased. Ukraine has accused Russia of looting grain and farm equipment from regions its troops hold in Ukraine and of obstructing Ukraine’s exports of grain.

European wheat fell 2% on Monday, pressured by signs that Russia could unlock grain cargoes blocked in Ukrainian ports and on welcome showers in France, though volumes were light in the absence of U.S. markets closed for the Memorial Day holiday.

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan told Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday that Ankara is ready to take on a role in an "observation mechanism" between Moscow, Kyiv and the United Nations, if an agreement is reached in that regard. In a phone call, Erdogan told Putin that peace needs to be established as soon as possible and confidence-building steps need to be taken on the conflict in Ukraine, the president's office said in a readout.

The United States will not send Ukraine rocket systems that can reach into Russia, President Joe Biden said on Monday.