French President Emmanuel Macron (center) delivers a speech at the opening of the Ukraine support conference with European leaders at the Elysee Palace in Paris (French)

French President Emmanuel Macron announced new steps to support Ukraine in its battle against Russia, saying that it is not unlikely to send Western ground forces to achieve Europe's goal of defeating Moscow, at a time when European doubts remain regarding continued American support for Kiev.

In his speech at the end of an international conference in support of Ukraine that included more than 20 European leaders, Macron painted a bleak picture of Russia, whose positions he said were “hardening” at home and on the battlefield.

"We are convinced that defeating Russia is necessary for security and stability in Europe," he said, adding that Russia was showing a more aggressive stance not only in Ukraine but in general.

He noted that although there is no consensus on sending Western ground forces to Ukraine, nothing should be ruled out: “We will do whatever it takes to ensure that Russia cannot win this war.”

Macron said that it was decided to create a coalition to carry out strikes in depth, and thus to provide Ukraine with medium- and long-range missiles and bombs.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Polish President Andrzej Duda were among about 20 heads of state and government present at the conference, during which Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky delivered a video speech.

British Foreign Secretary David Cameron also participated.

The United States and Canada also participated in the conference.

Acknowledgment of Russian progress

Western officials acknowledged that Russia may gain militarily superiority in the conflict in 2024, as the Ukrainian side runs out of weapons and ammunition.

In an indication of this, Ukraine announced on Monday that it had withdrawn from the Lastochkin region in eastern Ukraine, which Russia declared control of, in another defeat for Ukrainian forces since the fall of Avdiivka.

Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustam Omerov said on Sunday that half of the Western military aid pledged to Kiev was delivered late, noting that "the pledge does not mean delivery."

In statements that revealed the extent of the human losses incurred by Ukraine, Zelensky said that 31,000 Ukrainian soldiers were killed in the war with Russia.

A French presidential official - who requested anonymity - said that the meeting must contradict any "impression that things are collapsing" after the setbacks that Ukraine suffered on the battlefield.

The French official said, "We have not surrendered and we are not defeatists," adding that "Russia will not achieve any victory in Ukraine."

Doubts about continued support

There are growing doubts about the feasibility of long-term US support for Ukraine at a time when a new aid package has not received approval from Congress and while Donald Trump is looking to return to the presidency in the elections scheduled for later this year.

Zelensky said on Sunday that his country's victory depends on Western support.

He said that the US authorities "know that we need this decision within a month."

In Washington, Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski appealed to the Speaker of the US House of Representatives to hold a vote in Congress to approve aid that Ukraine desperately needs, warning that he would bear responsibility if Russia were to win.

For her part, former US diplomat Debra Kagan said, “If the West had provided Ukraine with weapons such as F-16 fighter jets or German Taurus missiles, we would have seen a completely different conflict now.”

Source: Al Jazeera + agencies