Ukraine conflict entering 'critical stage' - UK --Western Europe should "redouble" its support for Kiev, British Defense Secretary John Healey has insisted | 26 Nov 2024 | The conflict between Russia and Ukraine is entering a "critical stage," meaning that Kiev needs even more support from its foreign backers, British Defense Secretary John Healey has said. Healey was commenting following a meeting of the defense ministers of Germany, France, the UK, Italy, and Poland in Berlin on Monday. Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov joined the event via video link. "We discussed with Rustem Umerov the need to redouble our support for Ukraine because the defense of Europe, the defense of the UK, starts in Ukraine, and if [Russian President Vladimir] Putin prevails in Ukraine, he will not stop there,” the UK defense secretary claimed. Healey suggested "the war in Ukraine is entering a critical stage" and urged the Western European nations "to step up our security and our collective defense."