Russia-Ukraine war live: Biden says decision to send US tanks to Ukraine is ‘no offensive threat’ to Russia

LIVE – Updated at 17:51 US president announces 31 Abrams M1 tanks will be sent to Kyiv, adding: ‘If Russian troops returned to Russia, this war would be

over today’.   17:51 Britain’s prime minister, Rishi Sunak, spoke with the leaders of the US, Germany, France and Italy this afternoon and “welcomed the

decisions by allies to announce major battle tank contributions”, Downing Street has said. In a statement after the call, No 10 said Sunak “said it was now clear Russia

was on the backfoot, and there was a window for international partners to accelerate efforts to secure lasting peace for Ukraine”. Sunak “called on allies to intensify

their support in the coming weeks and months”, the statement says. All the leaders welcomed the strong coordination of military supplies and reflected on the

collective international action across the spectrum in support of Ukraine. They also welcomed the continued humanitarian and economic support for Ukraine in the wake of ongoing

indiscriminate and barbaric Russian attacks on civilian infrastructure. The leaders “agreed to stay in close touch”, it adds. Norway says it will send Leopard

tanks to Ukraine 17:38 Norway will send German-made Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine as part of a group of western allies supplying the arms, according to defence minister

Bjørn Arild Gram.