Scholz, Macron, Tusk meet in Berlin to discuss Ukraine

STORY: A hastily arranged summit in Paris last month had aimed to give fresh impetus to stagnating Western efforts to help Ukraine repel a full-scale Russian invasion that has entered its third year.

Instead, French President Emmanuel Macron's refusal to rule out deploying Western troops to Ukraine triggered a dressing down from Scholz, highlighting long-running divisions between the European Union's two top powers.

The European spat comes as U.S. support for Ukraine is also weakening, highlighting a Western leadership vacuum that risks further emboldening Russian President Vladimir Putin, say diplomats.

Franco-German spats are nothing new. But the current level of discord has alarmed officials in Kyiv and across the continent.