Ukraine war live updates: Russia relishes NATO division over ground troops; Kyiv needs weapons urgently, ex-president says

Russian officials appear to be reveling in a gaffe made by the French President after he suggested that NATO countries had discussed the deployment of Western ground troops in Ukraine. The suggestion was rejected by several NATO members, including Germany, the UK, Spain, Poland, and NATO’s Secretary General. The Kremlin warned that such a move would lead to conflict between NATO and Russia. Russian media has been dominated with officials enjoying the division among NATO members and Macron’s apparent misreading of the alliance’s mood. Ukraine’s former president emphasized the need for more military equipment instead of ground troops.