Ukraine is increasing the pressure on Putin – it cannot afford support from the West to slip now

A meeting of EU foreign ministers in Kyiv that the bloc hailed as “historic” came at a difficult time for the Western alliance that has poured weapons, money and support into Ukraine’s fight against Vladimir Putin’s forces.

Kyiv was facing two bruising political blows as, America, her most important supporter in the war against Russia, excluded aid to Ukraine from an emergency congressional bill to prevent a government shutdown – while a pro-Kremlin candidate won the biggest share of votes in a parliamentary election in neighbouring Slovakia.

Removing the aid to Ukraine was the price right-wing members of the US Republican Party demanded for a last-minute deal on Saturday to avoid the shutdown. Several supporters of Donald Trump were among those kicking up a stink. The victory in Slovakia of right-wing populist Roberto Fico had also been brewing; his SMER-SSD party garnered the most votes. While SMER-SSD fell far short of an overall majority, he has been given two weeks to negotiate a coalition government.