Russia ruled out European proposals to send peacekeeping forces to Ukraine and said on Thursday that French President Emmanuel Macron had threatened it by suggesting that Moscow was a grave menace to Europe.

In an evening address French President Emmanuel Macron Macron said he will confer with European allies on the idea of using France's nuclear deterrent to protect the continent in the face of threats from Russia.

In a television address tonight, he said the world was entering a 'new era' and a 'global conflict' was already underway.