French President Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer will chair a summit to discuss strengthening Ukraine's defence. The meeting will take place on 10 July in the United Kingdom, AFP reports.

"There will certainly be a discussion on how to seriously maintain Ukraine's combat capability," the Elysee Palace said. The French president's office added that Starmer and Macron would co-chair the meeting of Kiev's allies via video link.

The July 10 meeting will take place at a time when U.S.-led peace talks to end the more than three-year-old war against Ukraine have stalled.

The United States, Ukraine's biggest military backer since Russia's full-scale invasion began in 2022, has said it is halting some key arms shipments to Ukraine.

Macron will make a state visit to the UK from 8 to 10 July, when he will receive a royal welcome and address parliament.

During the meeting in Ukraine, Macron and Starmer will hold talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and other leaders, including German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, the French presidency said.

The summit will discuss the deployment of a "reinforcement force" in Ukraine after a ceasefire, the Elysee Palace said.

Discussions will also focus on "ways to increase pressure on Russia to accept an unconditional ceasefire, which it has consistently refused," the French presidency added.

Moscow has stepped up missile and drone attacks on Ukraine in recent weeks as U.S. support for Kiev appeared to waver under U.S. President Donald Trump. 

Trump and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin spoke by phone on July 3.

The US president said he has made no progress with Putin on ending the war in Ukraine as the Kremlin insists the Russian leader will stick to his goals in the conflict. | BGNES