Give and take: West gives Ukraine weapons, bans Russian coal

By SUSIE BLANN
Associated Press

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Western nations have made more pledges to send arms to Ukraine as Britain’s Defense Ministry claimed that sanctions against Moscow are hurting Russian defense exports. On a day of give and take, the European Union’s full ban on Russian coal imports also kicked in Thursday. Britain and Denmark made additional military commitments to help Ukraine’s defense against Russia’s invasion. Germany also is making what Chancellor Olaf Scholz described as a “massive” break with its past by committing to send weapons to the war-ravaged country. In another display of the West’s loyalties, McDonald’s announced plans to start reopening some of its restaurants in Ukraine. The fast-food giant shuttered and sold hundreds of its Russian locations.