TOPACCOLADE NEWS

Ukraine cries out that it pressingly needs more armament from its Western supporters  to for guard itself against Russia.

Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba  notified a Nato convention that more barbarity  against non combatants  could occur if Ukraine doesn't build up  more military assistance.

In response Nato chief Jens Stoltenberg notified that members of the alliance had consented for  more reinforcement  for Ukraine.

Russia has cautioned that "pumping weapons into Ukraine" will have a "negative effect" on peace deliberations.

Mr Kuleba professed he was hunting for "weapons, weapons and weapons", but he added that Ukraine was tendering  Nato a "fair deal".

"You provide us with everything that we need, and we will fight for our security but also for your security, so that President Putin will have no chance to test Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty," he said.

Article 5 is the key part of the Nato treaty that says that an attack on one Nato country is considered an attack on all.

What  Nato  stands for and  its assistance to Ukraine?

"Either you help us now - and I'm speaking about days, not weeks, or your help will come too late, and many people will die, many civilians will lose their homes, many villages will be destroyed," Mr Kuleba said.

Ukraine is not a member of  Nato but has been receiving military assistance  from its members.

Mr Stoltenberg noted that members of the alliance were willing to increase assistance.

"After the invasion, allies stepped up with additional military support, with more military equipment, and it was a clear message from the meeting today that allies should do more and are ready to do more to provide more equipment, and they realise and recognise the urgency," he said.

"We are closely coordinating and discussing these issues with Ukraine, so allies are providing and are willing to do more when it comes to military support."

More than 30 countries including the UK have furnished  military assistance to Ukraine, including €1bn (£800m) from the EU and $1.7bn (£1.3bn) from the US.

But so far Western reinforcement have been restricted to arms, ammunition, and defensive equipment like anti-tank and anti-aircraft missile systems.

Nato members dread that granting Ukraine with weightier offensive equipment like tanks and fighter jets could trigger straight ahead clash between Russia and the alliance.

Russia cautioned on Thursday that the reinforcement  of armaments to Ukraine is breaking any prospective of bringing a ceasefire.

"Pumping weapons into Ukraine will not contribute to the success of Russian-Ukrainian talks," Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said, referring to the peace negotiations between the two countries.

Commenting at Nato's headquarters in readiness  of Thursday's meeting, UK Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said "in the face of Putin's appalling aggression...we are stepping up our supply of weapons to Ukraine."

Ms Truss is yet to be specific on what those stockpiles will entail, but the Times newspaper has announced that the UK is looking forward to furnish Kyiv with armoured vehicles.

This comes after declaration this week that the Czech Republic is sending Soviet-era tanks to support Ukrainian forces, which if authenticated  would make it the pioneer Nato country to do so.